My mother in law sent this to me. Really totally cracked me up.  www.News3Online.com  I want that bus sticker for my wall

Now a day past and a vigil kept to remember those that put themselves in danger to save others from religious zelots I feel I can post about a great weekend. My heart is still amazingly tender to this, maybe it’s because few people know what Unitarians are much less hate us? I’m not sure.

This weekend I went up to Santa Barbara with Cheryl, Lisa, & Flo with the intention of visiting the Loop & Leaf (a knitting & tea shop).  To bad none of us thought to call before we went (normally this is something I always do but since I didn’t plan the trip I didn’t think to call) because the store was closed, all owners & employees were on vacation. So there we were. In Santa Barbara, looking for a fiber fix.

Luckily Cheryl remembered what used to be Bebe’s was under new ownership so we headed there. A fairly small, cute shop. Nothing out of the ordinary on their shelves, but I did pick up 3 diffrent skeins. From left to right, Twisted Sisters, Mountain Colors, & Malabrio lace.

We also saw this crazy ass house in Carpenteria.  I’m not sure that I would love being this guy’s neighbor or even on the same street. Some people just don’t know when to stop. Or when to grow a BIG hedge.
Here’s a better look at it
Why yes that IS John Wayne standing on the balcony behind the gargoyle. & Yes they have their christmas lights still up.

We stumbled apon another knit shop in SB. Nice, but no AFY’s. They invest more in cutesy decore than actual yarn. I love my own yarn shop most thank you very much.

(You can see Lisa’s Refelction & Cheryl though the window.)
How damn cute is Lisa? Seriously, this woman couldn’t be any damn cuter!

OK on to actual projects people!
The Mr’s sweater of DOOM is done
 Pattern: EZ’s Seamless Hybrid Sweater
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Lichen (9 skeins)
Needles: US 7 & 8 circs.
For not seeing any knitting sites he sure knows how to model them doesn’t he? That’s just him putzing with the fit, you know, to make me nervous that he doens’t really like it. I think he does, but ya know, he’s a man.  I *promised* him that I wouldn’t post his face on the interweb, but I’m a crazy ass bitch lier, so there he is lol. Hence why he is making weird faces at me.

I also finished this hat this weekend. I kind of have an oval head don’t I? Hmmm.
Pattern: Koolhass by Jared Flood
                                                       Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted in Poligana                                                      
                                                        Needels: US 7 & 8 DPN’s                                                                        
                                                     Verdict: LOVE LOVE LOVE. Course you could knit a turd cozie with Malabrigo & it would be fabulous. This pattern is quite fiddly. I tried to cable with out a cable needle, but with the malabrigo I kept splitting the stitch, so I gave up & was very zen about the 1X1 cable needle crosses. The sun has really washed out the color in this photo. It’s closer to this.

The Mr worked all weekend on the backyard & we have now sucessfully found all walls. By “we” I mean he did all the work but I’m bragging about it. We are having to look at dumpster prices because there is no way we are going to be able to get rid of this pile bi-weekly through the trash service. That’s just another thing we are going to have to charge the landlord rent for. This yard is going to be amazing when it’s done.

Yeah & one of the neighbors who watched this yard turn to hell for the last 10 years? She had the nerve to ask the Mr “So, um, when are you going to get rid of that pile?” If I was there I would have kicked her in the throat. He has worked 2 hours every week night & 2 8 hour days to make that pile happen. considering we got this far in a week (and by “we” I mean him again) we obviously mean business. She can f-ing suck it. Sorry about the harsh letters, but seriously.

First off I have to say a huge THANK YOU! to the knitting community.  You guys sure know how to make a girl blush.  I received quite a few comments & even more emails & PM’s through ravelry about my February Lady Sweater.  It did make me quite happy that I have inspired a few of us bigger busted girls to jump on the band wagon, come on, there’s room, I’ll scootch over.

They, as I did, had obvious fit and style concerns reguarding this pattern.  Though brilliant and beautiful, when you have a bust line in the double letters you are naturally wary of any flair cardigan or top lacking in stucture.  I have to admit it, but some of us larger chicks have moved off to KWOM (knits with out measurements).  You know the kind, the ones where the measurement that really matters is length (more so than width). Socks, hats, scarves, shawls, mittens, arm warmers.  Anything and everything that does not stretch across the vastness of our bossom. 

The sucess of this sweater is really about coming to terms with myself.  Who I am, what I look like and being ok with both.  I can tell you openly that I have a 50 inch bust. I don’t play games on ravelry in the size category by placing “me size”. I think that’s a cop out. No one’s going to judge you in a knitting community, when I click on certain sweaters and see that it makes me really sad truth be told.  I clicked on you because I think your garment is beautiful, and that it fits you perfectly, why hide? Putting in your real size allows other knitters to see how it would look on them. You are not the only one out there with that measurement, and instead of being embaressed by it we all need to embrace it. So thus, my number is 50. (sometimes 48, but only if my gage is off).  When putting in your number think of it more as a way to enable other knitters to go as confidently as you have, show off what you have with no shame.

I have another thing to admit (while I’m in the admitting mood).  I was not always truthful with myself about that number.  I would search around the internet and blogs I had found and even on flickr for sweaters that somehow would make me look like the people modeling them.  Before Ravelry I can tell you I had never seen another woman in a cute, modern sweater (with waist shaping! Oh the humanity! Big girls can have waists too!) that had a bust above 36″.  This, as some others may know, is quite depressing.  There were a few failed sweaters in the begining days of my knitting that reflected my deep denial of my true measurements.  I thought “Oh what a stupid pattern, it doesn’t fit” not that I was trying to squeeze myself into a sweater 2 sizes to small because I wouldn’t admit to myself that the measuring tape was correct.

I have to tell you though, I was quite surprised that Pam extended her sizes as far as she did.  Beyond surprised, I was impressed.  Impressed more so than I’ve ever been by any designer to date.  Usually the 48-50 is the last measurement (but I have to tell you, the finished object rarely looks like the schematics, if you want an idea of this, look at the CPH for normal women & then at the large women one. It’s not pretty.), now admittedly she only went one size above that, but with a stitch repeat of 7 stitches you can easily up it.  What I was impressed by is that Pam is no large woman in any sense of the word.  That means that she put more thought into a pattern that became surprisingly popular and allowed for a vast majority  of knitters to enjoy it with ease.

So I want to thank the knitters out there for showing a big girl some love, and I want to thank people for all their questions.  I hope you all go on to knit fearlessly and honestly.  May all your knits be sucessful.

Today I had my root canal done. All I can say is that my new dentist is probably the most fabulous man on the face of the earth and I actually did laugh during a root canal. My crown is schedualed the 29th and then we can move on from this disastrous dental drama (say that 3 times fast!).

After the dentist since it was only 9:30 I told Matt I need McDonald’s breakfast burritos & Iced Coffee (Breakfast burritos & I go back a long time & remain my biggest favorite at McDonald’s).  For some reason he forgot about the Micky D’s in Camarillo & headed to Ventura. 1rst this MD is small, dirty & really slow. 2nd the kind of people in there? Yeah. Anywho.

We get in line. Everyone has figured out that there is really only one register being worked & have formed ONE LINE. So Mr “I’m so cool with my tattoos & upscale skater gear” (which will now be referred to as The Dick) jumped line & stood at the 2nd register. Can I tell you how much this pisses me off? I can’t stand rudeness. From me or anyone else. I might be a loud mouth but in public I am as polite and civilized as I can be. We are all people, we all deserve a certain amount of respect. 

I decide to leave it and focus on my tasty burrito experience awaiting me. Then The Dick realizes that he’s not being helped (Because people, there is only one register open) so he loudly & RUDELY asks “Is ANYONE going to SERVE me today?” Which threw me over the line. I (still feeling the effects of the nitrous gas) reply “Well there IS a line, maybe if you were in it they would help you”. This people, was wrong. There are only two correct and appropriator responses when you are called out for line cutting. 1. Ignore it like it never happened, or 2. face your accuser, apologize & get in line. What did The Dick do?

Apparently  option 3. In option 3. You turn around & say “Listen CUNT, I AM in my own line”.  This is where I would have dropped it, someone this angry in a McDonald’s needs his coffee more than me. But unfortunately I had the Mr there.  The Mr switched into “Man Mode” (You ladies all know the one where you can smell the testosterone flowing) and started toward this guy saying along the lines of “I would appreciate it if you didn’t call my wife a cunt” to which The Dick replies “Man you DO NOT want to throw down with me, you dont’ even KNOW who your messing with”. Ok, um, this is Ventura, it’s not like it’s LA, no one around here knows anyone great, I mean in Camarillo they do have a Hells Angeles run tattoo shop (my husband has actually met the founder) but this guy was not a HA. The whole time I was in the process of putting myself in front of him because, people, this is breakfast. Not even a great breakfast, but I did want my tasty breakfast burritos. The Mr ended up stepping back in line (because he is awesome and is a grown up).

The Dick ordered, & moved to the left side of the restaurant, we ordered & moved to the right side and no one looked at each other. I mean, who is really going to get in a fight about cutting in line at a McDonalds? Seriously? Over the dollar menu?

So we all get our food & leave. The Mr & I let The Dick out first & watch as he gets into his car before we leave. We are too old to fight in the parking lot at a McDonald’s, and frankly, we aren’t white trash so it’s not like this is on our list of “100 things to do before we die”.

As the Mr pops the locks to our car I hear a horn honking. I know what this is, the Mr knows what this is. The Dick is trying to get the Mr to look at him to start something. The Mr won’t look. We have our hot tasty burritos & are going home to watch the re-run of Wednesday’s Project Runway (that I missed! DOH!). Then The Dick YELLS across the parking lot, “Such a big man now aren’t you?!! Let’s GO!” Um yeah. Ok this guy wasn’t small but he wasn’t big either. On the other hand he had just called out a very large man (whom I have seen pick up the fridge & move it instead of just sliding it) and who, when he played football, was a human brick wall, this man can still leg press 400LBS. Really? You want to mess with this man?

We obviously ignored him because, really, who does this? We did make it home with no further confrontation. We did make sure he left the parking lot in the opposite direction of us & before us so he couldn’t follow. Someone who gets this angry about being called out for cutting in line is most likely on something. It’s just not a normal human reaction.

I did apologize profusely to the Mr for my big Finnish mouth. It comes with the territory of a Scandinavian woman. We are loud mouths & opinionated (at least all that I have met!). I have called out tons of people for line cutting, and this is the first time I was threatened with bodily harm. Sheesh, someone needs a Valium.

Friday again.  Tomorrow I have (FINALLY) my root canal. I know most people wouldn’t be excited about this, but the fact is that the first dentist mutilated my front tooth & I’ve been walking around with a stupid ugly patch on it. I am extremely self conscious about it too so I’m ready to get this sucker capped like the rest of my teeth. Called my old dentist in Ohio to fax over my records so they would be sure & use the exact same color on the new cap. My only two concerns are 1. IT HAS TO MATCH PERFECTLY! & 2. It can’t hurt. So I think I’m pretty set to tell you the truth.

On of my fellow knittin’ kittens, Laura has knit up the most amazing arm warmers, out of noro sock yarn. They are probably the most beautiful things I have seen in forever. Next week I’m bringing my camera so I can document her amazing awesomeness.  Seriously, beyond awesome.  There are very few knitting projects that I freak out over (especially other peoples) but man, these things are gorgeous. We all begged her to write up a pattern, so *hopefully* (crossing fingers) that’s what she will do. Then I can own a pair of the awesomeness too. I have to say that last night was one of the best knit nights in forever.

It just seemed that everyone was in a great mood and there was so much laughing going on.  *there always is, but it seemed like more last night*. Driving home last night with the windows open (it was 65* god I love ventura, It’s JULY people!!!) my ipod flipped to System of a Down and I was instantly brought back to cruising in high school my senior year, I felt so happy and so alive that drive home. Must have been the fresh air and the full moon.   You know those moments, where you just sit there, completely sated with your life and are flooded with complete happiness. That was last night. Maybe if the mr is feeling better (he’s plague victim #2) I will take him for a drive tonight with the windows open and go sit at the beach, in the dark like we used to do when we were first married and so broke.

I bought some noro silk garden last night for a Lady Elenore. I’ve wanted to make this forever and now I am finally just going to take the plunge. BUT! I must finish my FLS first. I’m almost done with the body & the sleeves should fly right by. I’m hoping by the end of the weekend it will be done. Since I’m having said root canal my husband has given me the “Free To Sit On Your Butt & Do Nothing” pass. God I love that man.

I also have to finish this

I put the underarms on holders and have started the sleeves. This sweater is very smoosh & has lots of garter stitch.  I thought I was being so cleaver by adding this detail under the arms but then realized that I thought I had seen this before.  Guess a knitter way more awesome than I am was already cleaver.

                         Ed wishes you a Happy Friday, well, he would, if he would wake up for it.