Back from Atlanta

Now that I am no longer traveling, I am staying in some major luxury hotels lately. In Denver, we stayed at the Peabody. The room was not very great, but the hotel amenities were terrific. Both of the bars in the hotel were really nice-- of course, we went to both of them-- and we had the most amazing meal at a French restaurant in Downtown.
In Atlanta, we stayed at the Ritz-Carlton in Bucktown. We stayed on the Club level. Drinks available all day, as well as breakfast with Bubbly, lunch with wine, snacks with cocktails (seeing a pattern here) dessert with cordials. Although we left the hotel for dinner, we pretty much stayed in the hotel the rest of the time. Although I helped with the preparation for the deposition (the reason we were there), we saved our client a few bucks and I didn't attend the show. I stayed in the hotel-- imagine why!!! I tried to get to a LYS that I read about on the internet, but a sudden thunderstorm forced me back to the Club room. There is not much that I like better than a crafting opportunity, but I was OK with the Club room.
Although I really did not enjoy the experience of my first clappy, I decided to do another. I'm not really sure why. The first one was my first experience with so many knitting rules. I have always been a strange knitter; my mother claimed that I knitted backwards and would never help me with anything. When I started Clappy, I learned about twisted stitches. At the time, it didn't occur to me that all my stitches were twisted, so I struggled to learn a new way to knit. With the second, I did more thinking-- or should I say less thinking. Once again, for some reason I chose acrylic again, even though I have loads of really nice yarns. This time, I just knit like I wanted to. All I have to do is knit 5, then purl 1. I only pay attention when it is time to make a new stitch or drop an old one. So much more enjoyable. I started the decreases yesterday and, of course, cannot wait to finish. Socks are next up, but I have vowed not to start anything new until I finish Clappy. This one is really going to be a shawl!!!!

Clappy Revisted!!

What do you think of my beautiful baby?? He is going to the Prom and boy, did he look good, if I do say so myself.

This was an amazingly fun night. Hubby, who is incredibly technologically stupid, somehow turned the pool heat up to 97 degrees. I generally keep it at about 81. The lower temp is pretty good in the spring, but as soon as you get out of the pool, it is really still cold. At 97, our pool became Oklahoma's biggest hot tub!! It was fun while it lasted, but I am not looking forward to next month's gas bill.

My husband hates this plant. We, among our many interests, make homebrew!!! So, being over-achievers, I decided that I had to grow my own hops. This plant takes over!! It produces major amounts of really large hops. I think that they are Cascade hops.

This was a tiny little rose tree last year. I can't believe how big it has gotten.

I love purple!!

Every time I see a flower, especially a large purple flower, I believe that it it my favorite ever. Look at these Clematis. They are going great. My other favorite has to be yellow roses. I don't know why my yellow roses are blooming so much earlier than any of the others.

We are Not Traveling This Year!!!

I swear, his magesty and I swore that we would not travel as much this year as we have in the past. Last year, we went to England during March, France and Italy during August and Las Vegas at least three times. This is in addition to any business travel. So far this year, the year of not traveling, we have gone to Denver (Appellate argument), Philadelphia (Mass Tort Seminar) Dallas (Spring Break), Memphis (Mediation), Las Vegas (Golf Tournament) and Dallas again (Mass Tort Seminar). This week we leave for Atlanta, another mediation, next week we go back to Dallas so hubby can play in a golf tournament with my father. We are planning to go to Las Cabo in August as our family vacation. Where in the world do you think we might go between now and then? I am afraid to think about it.

The Good, The Good and the Ugly

I cannot get the hang of putting my photos in the right order to get them in the content how I want them. This should be last. Its my new patio set. The coffee table has a fire pit in the middle. I wish we could S&B right there right now.

My baby is a Champion!!! My 17yr old, previously known as Hairboy, got a haircut and then won the 4A State Debate Tournament!! We could not be more proud!!

This what he looked like last weeK. I can't call him Hairboy any more. He donated 22 inches of hair to Locks of Love, while we were out of town. I almost didn't recognize him!!

This is me-- ignore ugly tennis skirt-- didn't turn off the flash-- in the giant Laguna. I am seeing a pattern with my knitting. Big, Bigger, Biggest. I got to get more careful. This baby will never see the light of day.

This is the Ugly!! Its Laguna done in Brooks Farm Harmony. I made the Large-- without measuring, swatching or any of the usual safeguards-- and it is HUGE!!!!! It is probably a 3xl. I guess I will frog away and maybe it can become the Clapotis that it was meant to be in the first place.

Look what I got!!!! Come on over, bring your knitting, I've got the wine.

I Get Interviewed!!!!!

I have been interviewed!!! Here are my questions and answers:

1. As a lawyer, what is your professional opinion about knitting while on jury duty, either in the jury box or during deliberation? I know that I sometimes get lost in my knitting and miss all the critical issues during one of the 17 Law and Order reruns that I seem to watch in a day, so I would really worry about a juror knitting. In our state-- Oklahoma-- most judges will not even allow the jurors to take notes. I have never seen a juror knit.
2. How long have you been knitting? I believe that I have been knitting approximately 35 years. I am 45 and taught myself to knit at about age 10. My mother, who really only liked babies and teenagers, would not teach me. I learned from a book that I checked out of the library. Somehow I tought myself what is now known as Eastern Combined. When I asked my mom for help, she could not figure out what I was doing. I always believed, until about the last month or two, that I knitted backwards-- whatever that means.
3. Have you ever knit anything for your 17 year old son that he lost? If the answer is yes, did you ever knit for him again? Yes-- when he was about three, I knit him a great cabled sweater. It was red, so naturally, he wore it when we went to an Oklahoma Univ football game. He watched the game on TV at a Norman church that babysat during the game. When we picked him up-- no sweater. I later called the church, but no one saw it. I think that I might have made him one more sweater, prior to presenting him with a brother, that significantly cut into my knitting time!
4. You are a gardener - do you ever find knitting inspiration from the garden, or vice-versa? Yes!! I love color-- especially riotous color, like a cottage garden and hand-painted yarns.
5. What is the strangest thing you have ever knit? No question, the Clappygan. I hate acrylic yarn, but for some reason felt compelled to make the shawl d'jour out of Red Heart. I completely failed to think in any way, about gauge or finished size. Brain fart of the ultimate degree.

This was fun. Hopefully, I'll have pictures to post tomorrow.

Where is Betty Ford when you need her?

Holy cow!! We just came back from four days in Las Vegas. I think my blood alcohol level is still over the legal limit days later. We had a great time-- as usual. We stayed at the Rio. It was OK, but I won't choose to stay there again unless there is some reason to do so. The pool was smallish but pretty-- only one cocktail waitress was a big draw back. Hubby played golf in a tournament, so I was on my own most of the time. All I will say is that I really enjoyed myself. You know the line, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

I finally bought a swift to go with the yarn winder that I have had for years and was dying to use it. Searched the house, then remembered it is in the trunk of my car-- which is in the shop. Hope to get it tomorrow.

One great think that happended while we were gone-- Hairboy, my 17 year-old, donated all 21 inches of his hair to Locks of Love!!!!! What a suprise. We didn't recognize him. I will try to post a picture tomorrow.

Still working on Laguna, Ruana and the Clover thing from SnB. Pics soon.