Sad Days

As it turns out, another wonderful side effect of knitting with aran weight yarn on size three needles is that muscles tend to protest. In my case, repetitive use damage in my left forearm and hand. In other words....I.Can't.Knit. Eek!

As you might imagine, beginning another large project would not be a good idea. I did though, a garter stitch blanket that you see in it's beginning stages off to the left there. And down below in it's current state. I was fine for a few weeks after the k/h but then suddenly I couldn't hold anything in my left hand without shooting pain. Rats. So the blanket languishes, getting a new row or two a day. I'm icing the heck out of my hand, but working four days a week isn't helping either.

I'm sure everything will turn out fine. I can feel healing progress already. But this blanket, now half done, is a wedding gift and the wedding is only a month away. (I did make call yesterday to get one more skein of each color since I was beginning to worry I wouldn't have enough.)

Incidentally, I also have the first of a pair of socks, a baby hat, and a pie R square shawl on the needles. You can guess how fast they're all progressing.

Harloteers

It was truly glorious to be in a room full of so many knitters. I was a tad late to get the pick of seating, but on a fluke I was able to sit right up front. One of the perks of not having a knittig buddy to pal around with is that a single available seat isn't a problem.

Ms. SPM is just as hilarious in person as on her blog. I take for granted that she would be just like any of us, but she seemed a bit nervous at the beginning. She did a fantastic job, of course, and the whole room was filled with laughter from beginning to end. Oh to be able to write that well.

A spot up front pretty much meant a spot at the front of the queue (after moms with babies, et. al.), so I had my book signed and pictures taken before I had a chance to get bored. Look, she's holding my sock! (Sadly, I had to rip it out a couple days ago after turning the heel and finding there was just no way this pattern was going to be viable for my foot.)

It was a good night to be in Portland, folks.

Newness and Procrastination

The bad news first:

I have a mostly-written post about the kilt hose project coming soon. It's long and needs some editing/massive revision, and though I'm fairly certain nobody in their right mind would make a pair like mine, it does make a semi-interesting story.

Now for the good:

I checked out two new LYS's. I am not unhappy with my regular place, but I'm curious who else is out there and when they have knit night. (Thursday seems to be ramping up for me at work.) First, I went to Knitting Bee looking for Dream In Color sock. They're a lovely little shop quite near my house and they sell some things I haven't seen anywhere else. There isn't an air of pretension (deserved or otherwise) at the KB, so I'm all kinds of comfortable there. Haven't checked out their night yet (Wednesday), but I did go down to Dublin Bay on theirs (Tuesday) and was surprised to find only the person working that evening. The two of us sat and chatted (and watched some awful cable show) for an hour and a half. Even though the place was a bit of a ghost town, I'm definitely going back for the fabulous products they stock.

In the process of checking out those two shops, I found out how close I was to two more: Lint and Knit Knot. Lint was already on my list of places to try, but I thought I'd be making a short trip up the freeway to get there. Logistically, that makes it a not-going-to-happen-any-time-soon, unless I happen to be in the area. Well, here's how the list looks now:

Tried: Farmhouse Knits, Abundant Yarn, Yarn Garden, Knit Purl, Knitting Bee, Dublin Bay, Northwest Wools

Untried: Lint, The Naked Sheep, Knit Knot, Twisted (opening soon), Kathy's Knit Korner (KKK? Really?), Molehill Farm (if you wish to go that far afield), and speaking of "afield" I see that there are four or five more shops I could take a peek at in Tigard and West Linn (also subs of Portland).

So, yeah, there are few places to buy yarn in my town.

BTT: Paper Or Plastic

BTT question of the week:

- Do you read e-Books?
- [I]f so, how? On your computer, or a PDA?
- Or are you a paper purist? Why?

I'm not shy about taking sides or agruing a point, but I never considered that there might be folks out there that felt specifically about how they read their books! As for me, my brushes with e-texts have been for university classes. Interlinear translations on the Harvard Chaucer site were essential for my Chaucer class. And how can you not think Project Gutenberg is totally fabulous?

Here's the thing: I've never read a book on a computer or other electronic device. Does this make a paper purist? I don't think so, but there is something to be said for the physical experience of turning pages. Sometimes, when a book is a little slow, actual physical progress may be the only thing that keeps me going. I've only recently tried alternatives to reading, like audiobooks. I think since I haven't really been hooked, there must be something pretty essential for me in having the book front and center.

I Could Be Knitting Right Now

...or, at least that is what I tell myself to tear away from the computer.

Need a laugh? Try this on for size.

Head Over 100% Merino Short Row Heels

Have you been here yet? Oh. Holy. Mecca. SOCKS!! (well, socks-yet-to-be)

On my short list for future orders:

1. Smooshy by Dream in Color. If you can make up your mind about which color to try first, you're a stronger man than I.

2. Fixation. That pretty accurately describes my desire to find a yarn I can knit with and wear in the summer. And slouch socks are so 1985, so I'm hoping that little bit of elastic mitigates the cottony-ness.

3. LL Flames. But really, so many colors, so little time.

4. Toasty Toes. Indeed.

5. Potluck by Cherry Tree Hill. Take a risk.

Tequila Is Optional

Margarita Pie, or Lime Pie, or Whatever-Citrus-You-Want Pie

To give due credit, this is basically a recipe we've been using at work for sampling, but I haven't found an external link for it.

1 Graham Cracker Crust
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
1 1/3 cup lime juice or margarita mix
6 egg yolks
1/3 to 2/3 cup sugar (optional with juice)
Sauza?

This one is easy. First, your flavoring. I think pretty much any flavor of margarita mix will work (and we even use our pina colada at work), so if you use this and it's already sweetened, don't add any sugar. If you want to use fresh-squeezed, the sky's the limit. Grapefruit, meyer lemon, blood orange, tangerine, lime. Let your palette be your guide. The same holds true of the sugar you add. In our case, we don't add any, and we used all lime juice because my husband has an affinity for the extremely (and sometimes absurdly) sour.

Optional step: if you're adding sugar, dissolve it in the juice first.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine yolks and condensed milk, mix, then add juice or margarita. Mix well. Pour into baked pie shell. Place pie on a baking sheet and then in the oven. Begin checking for doneness after 10 minutes. To do this, jiggle the pie. If it really wobbles, no dice, come back in 7 minutes. Once the pie starts to set up, there will be a lot less wobble. Check frequently, as over cooking tends to curdle. (This is basically a quick-cooking custard.) You can turn down the heat if the middle seems not to be setting up - maybe 325 degrees. Once you think it's done, place the pie on a cooling rack for an hour. Transfer to the 'fridge for at least two and up to eight hours before serving.

Watch out, those are some serious calories you're contemplating.