Ten minutes to blog
And…GO.
Billy and Thumper just headed out the door for their boy time and my Wednesday evening writing time. I’m allowing myself ten minutes of blogging before I dive into the writing. Shouldn’t take that long, even, because I don’t have all that much to say.
It feels weird to be so far from New York with Rhinebeck approaching. Everyone blogging about meeting up at Rhinebeck and knitting this sweater or that shawl to wear at the festival etc etc. When I was at Rhinebeck last year, it never occurred to me that I wouldn’t be able to get back this year because I’d be living across the country. It hadn’t yet occurred to me that I might ever move away from NYC. Ever. Makes me wonder what THIS year will bring.
Anyway. I don’t even want to be at Rhinebeck, per se. I just want to see all the people who will be there who I either only ever get to see at Rhinebeck or who I used to see all the time and now can’t see at all. Maybe next year the kiddo and I will time a visit to my mom with Rhinebeck and make the trek up. Maybe. Again…who the hell knows what this year will bring.
I didn’t have to go to Rhinebeck to finally meet Mariko in person. After something like four years of online friendliness, we finally met face-to-face for coffee and treats. She’s great, which is no surprise. I think Thumper may have a wee crush on her.
Okay…that’s four minutes. Let’s see… I’m almost done with the knitting for the Donkey Jacket. That’s not as remarkable as it sounds. When I set it aside it was already nearly done. I’ve got one sleeve and the ears left to do, then the seaming. I’m enjoying knitting it much more now than I did last year. Last year I was making it to be grown in to. This year I’m making it for Thumper to wear now. That, apparently, makes all the difference. I hope to have it done in the next few days, at which point I promise cute modeling pics of my little donkey.
Six minutes. But that’s enough. There’s writing to be done.
PS: Awesome portraits of my dear friend Lawrence Quigley here, plus a link to a really cool portrait project. Worth checking out, so do click through from his post if you have the time. It’s especially nice to get a glimpse of Lawrence in his studio. He’s one of the people I miss most. Sigh. (Utopia would be so much better if all my friends lived here.)
Glad to hear that you’re settling in! And thanks for the link to the 365 project. It’s really a treat.
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson
It might not be Rhinebeck, but you’re awfully close to Black Sheep Gathering and just right around the corner there from Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival, both of which are two of the biggest fiber events on the Left coast. ;D
Posted by: moiraeknittoo
Yep, moiraeknitoo’s right. OFFF this year was my virgin fiber festival, and it was even more fun than a fan con. I’m thinking we need to organize a whole caravan of PDX Knit Bloggers, the PNW/OR/PDX Ravelers, and anyone else we can find down to Black Sheep! Screw the Olympic trials at the same time; the fiber freaks will take over the town! [g]
Meanwhile, you’ll just have to persuade as many friends as you can to move out to Utopia…
(Loved the friend’s pix and the 365 project. I’d been idly wondering where people were doing those; thanks for the link!)
Posted by: MonicaPDX
Okay, Take 2. There is a big fiber festival on Saltspring Island off the coast of Vancouver Island every year – normally at the end of July.
Posted by: Jo
All it will take to get those friends to want to move here, have them visit in the late spring/early summer. But the trick is, don’t tell them you want them to move here! Why do you think we moved here? 🙂
Okay, coffee is calling.
Posted by: shannon in oregon
It was so nice to meet you finally after a couple years of reading your blog! And Thumper is totally adorable! I hope you guys liked your treats and hopefully we’ll see you again soon.
Posted by: Kay
Get thee to your writing! I’m almost done with my first Blank Canvas vest, by the way. These newborns do nap, and there is a little time to eke out between laundry loads…
Posted by: JulieFrick
Glad to hear that you’re settling in! And thanks for the link to the 365 project. It’s really a treat.
Posted by: Lynn in Tucson
It might not be Rhinebeck, but you’re awfully close to Black Sheep Gathering and just right around the corner there from Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival, both of which are two of the biggest fiber events on the Left coast. ;D
Posted by: moiraeknittoo
Yep, moiraeknitoo’s right. OFFF this year was my virgin fiber festival, and it was even more fun than a fan con. I’m thinking we need to organize a whole caravan of PDX Knit Bloggers, the PNW/OR/PDX Ravelers, and anyone else we can find down to Black Sheep! Screw the Olympic trials at the same time; the fiber freaks will take over the town! [g]
Meanwhile, you’ll just have to persuade as many friends as you can to move out to Utopia…
(Loved the friend’s pix and the 365 project. I’d been idly wondering where people were doing those; thanks for the link!)
Posted by: MonicaPDX
Okay, Take 2. There is a big fiber festival on Saltspring Island off the coast of Vancouver Island every year – normally at the end of July.
Posted by: Jo
All it will take to get those friends to want to move here, have them visit in the late spring/early summer. But the trick is, don’t tell them you want them to move here! Why do you think we moved here? 🙂
Okay, coffee is calling.
Posted by: shannon in oregon
It was so nice to meet you finally after a couple years of reading your blog! And Thumper is totally adorable! I hope you guys liked your treats and hopefully we’ll see you again soon.
Posted by: Kay
Get thee to your writing! I’m almost done with my first Blank Canvas vest, by the way. These newborns do nap, and there is a little time to eke out between laundry loads…
Posted by: JulieFrick
Back at ya pal…
Posted by: Lawrence Quigley
Hey, any room for a country knitblogger in the PDX caravan? 🙂 (I’m pretty close to Eugene, btw.)
C – you sound like you’re gearing up to really get into the writing. If I could guess, my hunch is that you’re approaching or in the middle. Your tone just sounds so familiar – I had to really psych myself to delve into it and get some traction under me. Another writer friend and I basically call this part of writing novels the, ahem, “f-ing middle.” No poetics about it, lol.
Posted by: Aura
Who doesn’t have a wee crush on Mariko? 😉
I wish I were seeing you this weekend. But who knows — maybe the next year will bring a west coast visit instead…
Posted by: alison
Oh how I’m missing Oregon at the moment… Tornado warnings in October are just not my style.
I’ve never been to Rhinebeck or that big festival in Maryland. I do know, however, that there are two ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL fiber festivals in Oregon and they’re full of nice people.
There are lots of sheep in Oregon, and therefore lots of spinners.
Posted by: The Spinning Guy (Kim)
Take heart, at least Oregon has fiber festivals as well! I’m in Texas and, we have a couple of extremely small things, but nothing big. The amount of time and money it would take me to get to Rhinebeck would leave me no money for fiber!
I’m working on planning a family trip to Taos next year. My daughter has been wanting to learn how to knit for ages, but she’s finally old enough/coordinated enough to do some of it by herself – she’s going to love the alpacas!
Posted by: liz
Back at ya pal…
Posted by: Lawrence Quigley
Hey, any room for a country knitblogger in the PDX caravan? 🙂 (I’m pretty close to Eugene, btw.)
C – you sound like you’re gearing up to really get into the writing. If I could guess, my hunch is that you’re approaching or in the middle. Your tone just sounds so familiar – I had to really psych myself to delve into it and get some traction under me. Another writer friend and I basically call this part of writing novels the, ahem, “f-ing middle.” No poetics about it, lol.
Posted by: Aura
Who doesn’t have a wee crush on Mariko? 😉
I wish I were seeing you this weekend. But who knows — maybe the next year will bring a west coast visit instead…
Posted by: alison
Oh how I’m missing Oregon at the moment… Tornado warnings in October are just not my style.
I’ve never been to Rhinebeck or that big festival in Maryland. I do know, however, that there are two ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL fiber festivals in Oregon and they’re full of nice people.
There are lots of sheep in Oregon, and therefore lots of spinners.
Posted by: The Spinning Guy (Kim)
Take heart, at least Oregon has fiber festivals as well! I’m in Texas and, we have a couple of extremely small things, but nothing big. The amount of time and money it would take me to get to Rhinebeck would leave me no money for fiber!
I’m working on planning a family trip to Taos next year. My daughter has been wanting to learn how to knit for ages, but she’s finally old enough/coordinated enough to do some of it by herself – she’s going to love the alpacas!
Posted by: liz