Tag! I'm IT!!

I feel all cool, because somebody finally tagged me :) Thanks Kozy Kitty! I've been quite sick this week and bad about blogging, so this is a good impetus to make an entry. According to PhD Knitter, the rules are as follows:

The Rules: Each person tagged gives seven random facts about themselves. Those tagged need to write in their blogs seven facts, as well as the rules of the game. You need to tag seven others and list their names on your blog. You have to leave those you plan on tagging a note in their comments so they know that they have been tagged and need to read your blog.

OK then!

1. My Siamese cat rules the house and everything in it.

2. My father-in-law is the oldest of 21 children, all with the same mother & father.

3. I am nuts about watching figure skating. Everything I know I've learned from Skatefans and Figure Skating Universe (well, not quite everything, but a large amount).

4. I was in university for more years than I spent in elementary and high school.

5. The number of letters after my name is now larger than the number of letters in my name (not including my middle name).

6. Although my first word was apparently "car-car", I don't drive.

7. I am the proud owner of five out-of-print Alice *more books.

Photos may or may not be added later ... at the mo I am too exhausted to go looking for them.

I tag Chelsey, sgeddes, Natalie, Heather, and Jessica! Watch your comments ladies!!

Super keen

Now here is a navel-gazing post (literally): my new Keen shoes.

I normally wouldn't post shoes, but the purchase was partially inspired by fellow-blogger Steph, whose commenters pointed out that the Mary Jane style was highly suitable for showing off handknit socks! Also, like her, I have quite wide feet. Thanks for the tip Steph!

Not too much knitting progress to report. I should finish the first Eleanor sock in a couple of days. Plenty of piano-related work is coming my way, and for that I'm very grateful! Also DH bought me a lovely gift for Mother's Day: Volume 1 of the Beethoven piano sonatas in the Henle edition. I already had a couple of other editions, but this was the one I really wanted (I've already been using Vol.2 for a good 20 years now!!)

I have been enjoying listening to early episodes of Cast-On and Lime 'n Violet ... it's fun to follow the progress of the shows.

Craziness abates

Sigh ... only to pick up again this weekend as DH heads out of town for a conference. Well, it will be nice to spend some girl time with DD, and I did get some lovely things in the mail this week to amuse me:







A copy of A. *more's Tudor Roses from a lovely British eBay seller. Ah, I love this book already. I see myself making most of the things in here, but first off would be Henry VII for DH and Catherine Parr for me.

And:






Some really lovely stitch markers from Purl Blossom's Etsy store. Now I finally think I have enough to dispense with the old plastic ring markers altogether! What a nice reward for finishing a section ... to be able to slip one of these to the right needle. Little things excite me, I guess! Anyway, I highly recommend Purl Blossom's store for beautiful stitch markers, promptly shipped, and she plans to add other items soon.



Not much knitting progress to report. This week was nuts. I worked pretty much every day, including Sunday, and DD was sent home from daycare with pinkeye on Thursday so no knitting time on Friday.

Nonetheless, Sleeve #2 of St Brigid is coming along but since you've already seen sleeve #1 I didn't think another pic was necessary. I also managed to turn the heel and make the gusset on Eleanor Sock #1. It was cool doing this on two circs for the first time:
















As I've reported on runagogo, I'm getting to the end of Week 5 of C25K. W5D3 is the fearsome day where you finally run 2 miles non-stop. Going from 3 to 8 consecutive track laps seems like a lot ... but I guess I just have to think about the half marathon and how this is less than one-sixth of it. Doesn't feel like it, I'll tell you!! The good news will be that everything after that feels easier.

I also finished reading Ratking, which I enjoyed very much, and I'll be looking forward to further installments in the Zen series. How sad that Michael Dibdin is no longer with us.

Summer of Socks 2007

Jessica, a fellow knitting musician, is hosting this year's Summer of Socks KAL. I have lots of nice stash built up now for socks, so I'm looking forward to some socky cameraderie!

Name that musique concrète

Alex Ross links to a video of John Cage appearing on the TV game show "I've Got a Secret" in 1960. He is performing the piece "Water Walk", which uses all kinds of everyday objects, including a bathtub, a vase of flowers, a blender, and a rubber duckie, to create a surprisingly threatening-sounding atmosphere. The audience is in stitches ... I'm not sure if this is sincere amusement or just nervousness. An amazing television event.