sherriknits

Hubby and I got away fairly early on Friday.  We got a 2 day date!  I think this is the first time either of us could remember getting away and actually having some quiet, down-time.  We got to Seattle in the early afternoon and checked into our room.  We went out and got a bite to eat and drove around downtown Seattle a little bit.  It was crazy….lots going on!  I took a few pictures, but none of them were really good enough to waste space here.  For you coffee lovers, though…here is the Starbucks executive offices.

I wanted to get a picture of the original Starbucks but the crowds were so crazy and we didn’t get on the right street because we were sick of waiting for lights to change.

We got back to our room early and spent an enjoyable time relaxing for awhile.  Then we had to drive over to Barnes and Noble to spend our usual Friday night.  :)  The difference was, we didn’t have to drive an hour home.  We of course had to visit Starbucks there…but it’s not a B&N Cafe as we are used to and we had to sit in there without anything to read.  (Although I have been to that one several times and never knew I wasn’t supposed to bring things in to Starbucks just to look at!  I’m glad I never set off any alarms!)

Hubby was pretty tired and went off to sleep at a normal time.  I could not quit thinking about my Mystery Stole so I got up and started working on it.  MS3 and I are  not on speaking terms at the moment.  What’s crazy is the this is not a difficult pattern, but why I spend more time going backwards than forwards is beyond me.  I decided to put it down for a few days.  I was up until 2 working on it!!!!

In the morning we went to breakfast and actually just sat around the room until 11!  We can’t ever think of a time we just did that rather than being out and about and barely seeing the room.  It was great! 

Then it all kind of changed.  lol.  I realized I did not bring any mindless knitting with me and we were going to have lots of time to kill at the stadium before the concert.  Soooooo….I looked up several yarn shops in the phone book and told hubby just one was fine for me to stop at.  He wanted to figure out the parking at the stadium….but he said we had more than enough time to do that.  Well, we ended up way off track on the first shop and had to call #1 son for driving directions.  Since we wasted so much time driving through residential streets trying to figure out what in the world we were doing….it was getting a bit tense.  I also asked for directions to another shop.  That seemed easier so we switched plans and headed to that one.  Wouldn’t you know it?  It was downtown close to where we needed to be…but no parking.  Hubby dropped me off.  I won’t say much about the shop … I was so excited to go there but I had a really hard time finding some sock yarn (do love what I ended up with) and needles..and they didn’t seem to  understand that when I said hubby is driving around the block and I need this wound quickly please that I needed to get out of there.  I was feeling sick over it because it took so long at every light and I knew if he had to go around too many times it was going to be stressful.  He finally appeared in the shop (BEFORE they started winding my yarn) and told me not to worry.  The shop was cute, though.

We then drove to Qwest Field.  We have gone to enough Mariner’s games that we knew where to look for free parking and it’s a good thing we decided to do this hours before the concert.  People were already heading to the stadium.  We didn’t have to walk far at all.  In fact where we parked by a business, they were renting their lot for $20 a space. 

It was hot, hot, hot.  We walked around outside looking at all the fun stuff.  They were giving out free hot dogs, water, and pop by the Brooks and Dunn truck.  We’d just eaten, but stood in line for water, it ran out right before us and we tried a Jones diet cola…not bad for free. 

We got in line as a crowd started forming since we’d been told they’d open the gates at 2:30.  Thankfully we’d bought water but it was so hot and I almost finished mine.  For some reason, hubby didn’t open his.  We stood there baking and by the time they opened the doors at 3…we were all pretty hot, but in good spirits.  I had to throw out the rest of my water because it was open, but he got to keep his.  Our tickets were on the 3rd level and hubby said we should just walk up rather than find an elevator.  I think he might have regretted that decision later!

It’s a long walk when you’re hot and tired.  He wanted to walk around a bit but for some reason, I got concerned about our seats.  I am horribly afraid of heights.  He said he thinks all reason left me.  lol  

I wanted to go find our seats and let me tell you…they pointed up the highest section and said follow the alphabet until the double letters started, then find our seats  (we were ii)  As he started climbing, I fought panic but stuck with him.  Gosh… 35 rows up and it was already high.  I’m not sure if it was good that there was really no one else there yet or not.  Here is our view:

Please note the fact that the roof is hanging right over us.  I managed to take this picture after I finished bawling from being so freaked out.   I do have to laugh.  Poor hubby had a permanent crease in his shirt from me grabbing it when I felt like I’d spill out of the seat.  It really IS better when there are people sitting in front of you.  He is so patient and talked me back to rational thinking.  I was trying to figure out how in the world I was going to get back down, though, I didn’t think he’d enjoy seeing me crawl or go down backwards.  LOL

I was more than grateful for sock yarn at that point.

Sorry it’s blurry but I was not done shaking yet.  I don’t know how I managed to get that much knit, but by then people were coming up and I felt more secure in my seat.

A little aside, I am sick of this kind of thing ruling my life.  I had to rationalize my thoughts and looked around at everyone else laughing at how high they were and actually run down the steps.  If I believe God is in control, then I need to act like it even when I don’t feel like it.  I hope that’s progress.

Hubby really wanted to go walk around and convinced me that to sit in that seat from 3 until 11:30 pm was not very feasible.  Down we went.  I can do it easily if someone is walking in front of me.  We enjoyed roaming around but there is something I totally regret.  There were seats outside the food area that we think now were not ticketed seats and we could have easily had one!  I was kind of ticked that our tickets were NOT the cheapest ones and I couldn’t see how any seat there could be any worse than what we had.  I later met a lady who spent even more than we did and she was on the other side in about the same place.

This plane flew in circles around Qwest Field for hours. Someday I will think to zoom in so you can actually see what I’m trying to get a picture of.  It said “KC 2nite  and the name of the radio station”

When we made the climb back up, I told hubby I wasn’t going to do that again.  It was too much in the heat.  I would rather stand than climb all those steps again.  We stayed up there for 1 1/2 groups and then he wanted to go get dinner.  We took all of our stuff and ate down there and then found a great place to stand.  It’s good it was great (although it was behind those seats that we could have had) because we stood there for over 3 1/2 hours!  My legs ached so bad all the way home and all day today. 

We went to see Kenny Chesney but enjoyed much of the rest of it.  What I forget about events like this is that many people get pretty rowdy and it can get a bit much to deal with when they start knocking in to you.  It was still fun. Hubby was a professional musician when we got married and he just loves all the lights and equipment and everything about the production.  All our friends laughed when they heard what we were going to…because now all hubby does is worship music but that part of him will always be there to see the big show so the kids gave him tickets to The Flip Flop Summer tour.  Here he is looking at all the equipment down below where he wishes he could have walked.

 
We loved when Brooks and Dunn did “Only in America”….they had several video screens behind them of differnt flags, and then at the end of the song, different members of the military came out and stood across the stage.  I’d have gotten a picture but they got a standing ovation and it was way too cool to think about taking pictures.  Hubby sang that song at church several years ago when the whole worship team wore cowboy hats and stood behind a scrim so we could only see the outlines and red, white and blue shirts. 

Anyway…Kenny Chesney really knows how to put on a show and appreciate his audience.  I love that.  Look how beautiful it was.  (my Saturday sky picture)

See that bright spot down on the floor?  Here’s a closeup.  He came up out of the stage and played for a little while. 

 It’s pretty awesome seeing a show like this.  Outside, warm…lots of energy.

At the end, he signed a guitar and gave it to a little girl in the audience. 

When it was all over, the crush of people leaving was incredible.  We walked down the ramp and hubby had someone step on the back of his sandal and loosen the strap.  If he’d tried to stop and fix it, there would have been a domino effect of people falling so we just kept moving.  I tried to take a picture on the last round before we hit the street…the camera was over my head and I just clicked…and missed the mass of people, but you get the idea.

We got home at 1:30.  Hubby had to be at church by 7:30 this morning and the middle kids were playing on the worship team this morning also so they had to be there early too.  This left the little imp and I home to get there by the time 2nd service started.  I got up at 8 and could not believe how bad my legs hurt.  When I decided we should start getting dressed and maybe make it to first service so we could have the rest of the day home…I couldn’t find the little guy.  He was asleep in our bed after getting up around 6!  He slept until 11:30 and I gave up and zoned out on the couch.  That’s a rare occurrence but I just didn’t have it in me to drag him out of bed, get him dressed (tons of verbal reminders) and figure out how to get myself ready too. 

The day was relaxing.  I worked on my new sock yarn a bit.  Can you guess what it is?

Pretty, eh?

Before  I show you…here is the boy doing his sprinkler imitation.  LOL  Big sis didn’t get the whole picture, but you see the fun he has.

Here’s hubby convincing me he should go to Stitch n Pitch on July 26 to see the Mariners…

He didn’t want me to put this on here … but then said I could.  He’d been sleeping and had put my knitting on his chest so he didn’t mess it up.  I asked him if he was knitting and he showed me he was.

Here’s the evidence that I did the work.

The daughter was taking pictures of me unbeknownst to me and I am not sure I really even combed my hair today so this is all you get to see.

And here is what I’m making.

If you’re still here after such a long post, thanks for sticking it out.   I’m finally making a Jaywalker sock…a few years behind everyone else.

ps.  My computer has been repaired and should be home Tuesday!!!!  No word on that blessed iPod.

One of these days I might learn.  At least I’m enjoying playing with my new yarn and beads so I wasn’t too terribly heartbroken at having to start over when I realized I was not following directions.  My yarn came today for my Mystery Stole 3.   My first attempt, which got frogged, I forgot that only the right side of the pattern showed on the chart.  I know better than that, but I got about 8 rows into the pattern and was really thinking it was not very attractive when I realized I was not knitting it right.   I got a good start the 2nd time, but although I could see the lace pattern, it still looked a bit jumbled.  As I was waiting for hubby to pump gas (date night!), I realized that rather than knit on the wrong side, I was supposed to k2, p to last 2, k2.  I am not at all sure why I thought it said k on all the wrong side rows.  I was pretty excited that I wasn’t going to have to purl all those long rows!  I also had another problem of every few rows having an extra stitch, which I just k2 tog at the last of the row.  It was definitely causing the pattern to look a bit off.  When I started over tonight, I still had the problem and sat staring that the chart for several minutes when it dawned on me that in the center stitch every few rows, it said to s1 k2tog psso and I had read it as s1 k1 psso.  I thought it was odd, especially that they used the ^ , which I knew meant to k2tog in there. 

Soooooo, I am now on track and LOVING what I’m seeing.   When I purl the wrong side, it really makes the beads show up a lot more.  I think I like bead knitting so far.  It is slower, but I think it’s worth it!  I wish they showed in the pictures.  I didn’t get a chance to try in daylight since my camera battery was dead today.

This morning I got to go to breakfast to celebrate my friend’s and my birthday.  Hers was Wednesday and mine is this coming Monday.  Another friend takes us out to celebrate both at once.  We had a great time and I was stuffed for most of the day. 

While I was at breakfast, I got a call from another dear friend who said she was leaving her laptop off at my shop for me to use until mine gets back.  I can’t imagine having no need for my laptop until September like she doesn’t need hers, but I am totally blessed by the offer.  I spent an hour at least trying to get it hooked to internet because I had to get it hooked to the dsl modem and I didn’t have my “welcome letter” that I got years ago when I got the modem.  I had to call tech support and they got me up and running, but it was’t an easy process.  I was getting mighty tired of crawling under my desk to read things to him from the modem!

The newlyweds headed off on their honeymoon today and I thought they were pretty cute if you ask me.  When they get home, real life starts.  I have to chuckle because I only got a one night honeymoon!  These kids will be home a week from tomorrow, but they were offered the use of a timeshare and bought the package that covers all food the whole time.  I’m excited for them…but I told the bride not to talk to strangers.  haha.  She said she has to since her new hubby doesn’t speak Spanish and she is the one who has to communicate.

I am trying not to stay up all night working on my mystery knitting, but I started a load of clothes and forgot to shut the lid on the washer so I have to wait to switch them to the dryer before I can go to bed.  It’s just too much fun!

Things just don’t stop happening here.  As if we haven’t had a lot going on, yesterday we have an official new driver in the family!  It would actually have been nice to have this kind of help before the wedding.  The little sis got her license!

Home safe after her first drive alone. 

Big brother was pretty proud.

Immediately following this celebration, we took all the gifts to the newlyweds’ house so they’d be there when they came home from their 2 nights away, before the official honeymoon.  We had a creative helper.

These kids have been blessed!

This doesn’t really look like their hands (the fault of the photographer mom) but the rings are pretty close.

And today I decided I needed to put my mind to knitting again.  I tried to work, but I was so tired that I really just kind of played around.  I did manage to get my laptop hard drive backed up so I can send it in for repair or whatever they are going to do…grieves me…as does the fact that they have yet to respond to getting my iPod replaced!  grrrr

But the high spot is that I ordered yarn to take part in the Mystery Stole 3 knitalong.  I am hoping it ends up being something I like, but I need a knitting challenge and the surprise element appealed to me.  Hopefully the yarn will arrive tomorrow or Friday so I’ll be able to start with everyone else.  I didn’t ever get a chance to swatch, but hey…why start with that now? 

I have always wanted to knit with beads and tonight we left town a bit early to try to get to the bead store before they closed.  Shipwreck Beads is supposedly the world’s largest bead store.  We really were cutting it close and when I ran through the door, the gentleman on duty told me I had 9 minutes.  I needed to find size 8 seed beads and I did know what I wanted.  I was actually able to find a size 13 crochet hook that belonged to my grandma that fit through the little hole in the bead so I’m all set.  I think I understand the concept of attaching the beads this way so I’m confident I can do it, although I won’t be suprised if it feels awkward at first.  I’m up for the challenge.

I don’t know if you can tell how tiny that hook is…I can’t believe it just slides right into the hole in that tiny bead so easily.  I’m excited to try this!

I got to have a nice dinner with hubby…it was our ‘mini-date’ night and we went to a nice (and cheap) Italian restaurant.  Then we got to meet up with the newlyweds at Barnes and Noble just because we had some gifts in the car for them.  We’re dead set on not bothering them too much, but it was nice that they wanted to meet us for half an hour.  They had to stop here on their way home to pick up her laptop (which works!) and another gift that was left here.  I loved listening them talking to the other kids and enjoying each other.  My kids are all used to going to their big sis’s house on Wednesday nights to watch Lost after youth church. 

I still have so many pictures to look at for the rehearsal and decorating days for the wedding, but it’s a huge chore.  I’ll just make flikr pages as I get them done.   Hopefully I’ll have more knitting content to share in the days ahead….a nice change of pace.  I did work on my Tofutsie socks today in the car in spite of that fact that all those days of being tangled in my purse bent one of my size 0 addi’s pretty bad.  I got it somewhat straightened and it should be ok. 

And now, to bed!

It was kind of a hectic day for me.  Work was fun but really busy.  I had to leave early to go finish tweaking the flower order for the wedding.  gulp. 

Hubby picked me up from that and we went on our ‘mini-date’.  (yes, we actually have 2 date nights but this one isn’t quite as official as the Friday night for-real date).  I think we just needed a peaceful evening and we got it.  This is where we have gone for several years when life was so, so tough for us.  We have shed many tears here and shared many very special pleasant times, too.  You know what’s cool?  Those incredibly painful times did not ruin this place for us.  There are some things in life that the deep, painful feelings make it a place we don’t want to re-visit  when it’s over because all of the bad feelings are attached to that place.  (just ask anyone who knew me when the little imp was born…Skippers restaurant was the recipient of all of my frustration during those days….lol….I guess it was a safe place for me to aim it all and I couldn’t go there for years afterwards. {I did forgive them, though!} It all stemmed from one really bad dinner and everything that could go wrong did).

Anyway…here is where we have hurt and have spent healing time too:

One evening, here we sat in tears and the sweetest older lady was trimming the roses and since we had our windows down, she chatted with us and it was just so comforting. 

Can you just imagine how wonderful the smells are here?

Often there are kayaks galore out on the water, but tonight was cold and windy and probably early in the season anyway.  We can sit for hours and watch them, or sometimes we’ll walk on the little dock.

And, here is something I have always wanted to do:

Hey, that is not easy to do.  I guess I should have adjusted the setting on the camera because the sock is a little blurred.  I also felt a bit silly doing it, especially since the yarn was still in my purse in the car behind me and I had it stretched pretty tight to take the sock’s picture. 

What is the yarn, you might be asking?  It is the new limited edition Tofutsie yarn from the SWTC Sock Club!  I got it today and am starting on the exclusive sock pattern that comes with it.  I got the yarn in my little yarn shop today and of the 10, there are 4 left! 

I got a kick out of a friend of mine.  She knew the yarn was going to come in this morning and wanted to run to the shop on her lunch hour.  One of her co-workers just didn’t ‘get it’ even when she tried to explain…this is a limited edition and when it’s gone, it’s gone!  I get it, what’s wrong with that lady?  Well, tonight we were on our way out of town and I realized I didn’t bring my pattern with me, so I called her and asked her to read the ribbing to me…a 33 stitch repeat!  I laughed and said I bet her friend wouldn’t get that either!  lol

I have to close with an attempt to show my most favorite little sight every night.  It’s nearly impossible to get a normal look on that sweet face when the flash blinds him before the real flash goes off but it’s close.  He can be such a pill sometimes, but when he comes to tell me goodnight and smiles at me without his glasses on, I just love it!

Every Friday night is date night, it’s a rare week it doesn’t happen.  Everyone who knows us knows not to ask us to do anything.  Once in awhile we will share our time with someone else, but mostly not.  What do we like to do?  Some people find this a bit humorous but our favorite thing is just to go to Barnes and Noble and drink coffee and read together.  It’s our “down time” … we love that quiet time together.

Tonight we got hamburgers and drove to the bay to eat them.

(that’s hubby’s sleeve)

I am going to have to practice setting up a shot, but you get the idea.

It was so warm!  We live an hour away and it was cool here all day!

I got my new copy of Simply Knitting.  I’m not sure if I keep buying this because I enjoy the magazine (which I do) or the fun little gifts you get with it.  This month it is a needle pouch.  I’m a sucker for a free gift.

Now here’s what’s nutty.  I printed out the pattern to my sock before I left work since I wasn’t sure where I’d put the first one.  I folded it up and went to get my GoKnit bag to stuff it in on top of hubby’s sock and then gathered my stuff and came home.  Do you think I could find that pattern anywhere when we were headed out of town? 

Before I left work, I had knit one lace pattern plus one row (a 4 row pattern).  I did not want to waste that knitting time because I love knitting in the car when it’s so beautiful out.  I decided that I was smart enough to figure it out and lo and behold!  Look what I managed to do!

In case you are wondering, that is my dying clover plant.

Anyway, that is about 40 minutes worth of knitting and the pattern is so simple that I could actually knit it from memory after going through it one time!  woo hoo!  I am still having to force myself to push on through the fuzziness that has been part of my mind for such a long time…and this was one major step ahead for me!  I am smarter than this, really I am.  Maybe I am going to start *finishing* WIPs sometime soon!