As some of you know, I have an aversion to spiders. This is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill discomfort - chills, etc. This is a fear that will sometimes leave me outside in my driveway trying to not hyperventilate and too terrified to go back inside.

I have made some progress. My technique has been the kind of therapy that exposes myself to monstrous spiders so that the little ones won't bother me so much anymore. In fact, the climax of this therapy was a few weeks ago when I took a short stroll to our outhouse (cabin thing) and on the door was an enormous fishing spider. You can google that if you'd like. I'd rather not see it. Anyhow, Mr. Darling heard my cries for help and came running and bravely swished the spider off the door into the woods. And the thing actually thudded when it hit the forest floor. Like an apple falling off a tree. Thump. Aauuehhhhh - shudder.

So last night, I'm trying to sleep and I'm just about gone when I am suddenly awakened by a noise. It was most certainly the scurrying noise of a spider.

Ok. Now. See? You're rolling your eyes. That's not very supportive. But I speak the truth. This was not mouse-scurrying noises. Spiders do make noises.

If. They're. Big. Enough.

I became an instant Olympic athlete and vaulted out of bed doing a sort of lying down and kicking my legs out into a standing position 15 feet away by the door thing. Lights went on. Mr. Darling was woken and told to search the premises. We found nothing! This is the worst case scenario. I did not sleep well for the rest of the night but I did move to the other side of the bed hoping that when the monster spider came a-lurking, he'd have to cross over Mr. Darling first and get bored with it and go home. I don't know . . . something like that, I was tired.

So today, I am diligently vacuuming the house and I moved the thin curtain by the window that happens to be inches from my pillow and there was a horrendously thick and sticky spider web about a foot wide.

So guess where I am. Outside with my laptop. Too afraid to go into the house. My little spider catcher (Lumpy) is at a friends house and my other two kids are worthless. Both are squirmish about spiders.

Anyway, I do have knitting to share. And pictures of our new kitty. But I don't want to go in and get my camera, so it'll have to wait.

Shudderingly yours,
Rani

Pandora's Box

I mean it. Literally. I suppose you have all heard of this Pandora Radio thing, but I have just recently discovered it thanks to my friend Caroline. It's free. And it's so cool. And you don't have to download a thing. Here's the deal.

You type in your favorite music artist or song and they create a whole radio station based on that same sound. So if you like Little Feat - you'll hear Allman Brothers, JJ Cale, Lowell George, etc. Or if you like Justin Timberlake - they'll play him and his cronies until your heart is content! I typed in Sting and have been listening to Sting, John Mayer, Clapton etc. It's really fun! If you like old jazz and blues, type in Dizzie Gilespie - you'll have GREAT dinner music. Show-tunes, rap, whatever! It's really cool!

Anyway. I don't have any knitting to show. Next time . . . maybe. In the meantime, it's my almost-forty birthday and my husband is making me dinner and my kids are watching a move and I have a new little teeny tiny laptop by the name of MacBook Pro and I am absolutely beside myself GIDDY! So word up, peeps. I'll be back.

knitting with raw hamburger

Mwooooohooohahahaaaaaaa.

And yes, I am knitting. Here's the proof.It's the back of my "Central Park Hoodie" sweater. I am no longer sure about the color, but the ride has started and I can't get off until it's done. The pink is reminding me of raw hamburger. Hopefully no one else will have that imagery in their head when I wear it to school this fall.

One more laugh:

Flying Lesson

I can do this. Just focus. Concentrate. Remember to flap my ears as hard as I can.


ok, here goes nothing. Flap. Flap Flapflapflapflapflapflapflap
I've done it! I'm flying! I'm . . .
damn.

Our Amazing Weekend.

A Wedding.

A 4th of July parade.
Some illegal fireworks.
Some people I may or may not be related to.

Government-sanctioned, legal and permitted fireworks.
It was a remarkable and magical weekend. Thanks mom and dad, Patty and Dan!
Congrats to S and P!!

Now We Are Six!

This little gal is almost seven and I am a little melancholy about the whole thing.

Six is a magical age.
She is wearing my third attempt for the perfect flower girl shrug for my sister's wedding. This one is in organic cotton - Sprout - in a bold fuchsia. I like it. It's very casual looking, but it's a picnic wedding and the girls will be wearing cotton sundresses. I'll post pictures of the big day soon.

If you want to see a gorgeous adult version, check out Wild Tomato's shrug for her sister's wedding.

Book Club anyone?

I am starting my second on-line book club at BookMama if anyone is interested!

I love my enabling bloggy friends!!

I DID IT! I ran out and bought up all my yummy pink yarn for my Central Park Hoodie. I cast on and am loving every minute of it!

Even when I had finished four inches on the back only to realize it was much too small and had to rip the whole thing out.

Even though I don't have a ball winder.

Even though I have a deadline to knit three Anthropologie-Inspired Capelets for my sisters big wedding day.

Even though it's 86 and humid and wool is outlawed until September.

Even though it would be much cheaper to find a new sweater at TJMax

Even though I already own TWO cabled hooded sweaters (both green) (both bought at TJMax).

Thanks ladies. I couldn't be happier!Cascade 220 Heathers
ps. June 20-21 is KIP (knit in public) day.

Should I be monogamous?

I have a pair of socks on the needles in my car, a baby sweater on my desk and I'm grabbing my checkbook as I head to my LYS for some Cascade 220 to start my Central Park Hoodie.
What do you think? How do you manage your knitting? Do you knit one project at a time? Two? What should I do? Just stick to the socks, then finish the baby sweater and reward myself with the sweater? Or should I throw caution to the wind and have as many knitting flings as I want?

Bad dog! Very Very BAD BAD DOG!

I took Leo outside with me this morning so he could frolic and play while I watered the garden. He has been so good lately. I let my guard down. I did not put on his shock collar. (I know . . . SHOCK COLLAR . . . cruel - Wait till you meet him).

He suddenly took off pell-mell after a fox with me on his heels yelling, "NO! LEO COME!" But instinct had taken over and off he flew through the thickest part of the woods. The fox disappeared as they usually do and Leo slowed down. I had almost caught up to him when I saw this look come over his face.

The look said, "This is it. This may be my only chance to explore this great wide world. I'm going for it!" And he turned and ran for it. Straight through the new development with all the mansions, manicured lawns, real estate agents and construction crews. Full-on run right down the middle of the street with me, now hysterically screaming (and realizing just how out-of-shape I am) chasing after him. I think I may have even been using some horribly foul language. In fact, I know I was using language that would make a sailor blush.

He, of course, heads straight for the highway and I start crying. Crying and cussing . . . and heaving. And good god, I've still got my pink pajamas on.

Guess what saved him?

Coyote poop.

Yup. He stopped to investigate a pile of coyote poop and I pounced on him. I almost killed him. I had to drag, scream and shout him all the way home and now he's in his kennel and I'm shaking and my legs are bleeding from my romp through the woods and it's all I can do not to hook that shock collar up to his wire kennel and just crank it up.

And now - my dog is afraid of me. . . the construction workers are too.

ps. Guinifer, he did get a hold of Loopy, but he sustained no lasting damage. Just dog slobber. I can live with that. He still has his arms and legs intact.

aaaaaaahhhh. US 3. Addi Turbo.

So fast. I love big sock yarn and big sock needles:Specs:
yarn: ATH (all things heather) colorway: Bucky
needles: US 3
pattern: plain old socks - no pattern

I knit that baby up while on our family vacation up north. I brought a friend with me - Mr. Loopy



Here he is at the mouth of the Kawishwi River which is one of the entrances to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. (The Loopy Ewe has a photo contest of places you take your Loopy).


Leo meets Loopy.


And a little extra special bonus for us - we've been selectively removing some flora in order to make room for more wild blueberries to thrive near our cabin. This year we will have quite a bumper crop of tiny little wild blueberries! These are the early blossoms. We'll be back in July to pick a few handfuls.

I am so jealous of all you who will be attending Sock Summit this year. Be sure to take loads of pictures!!

I've updated BookMama. If you get a chance - come on over for a visit!
ps. I had trouble with pictures on the BookMama post this morning.