“…and I like the lights and I like ’em pretty bright…”*
(*This has nothing to do with anything other than the fact that this song is stuck in my head. Bonus points to the reader who can name that tune. Eternal cool points if you can supply the next line and the character it’s attributed to…)
I’m feeling better. Much better. Just a lingering unpleasantness in my lungs that’ll pass soon enough. On day three of the plague, Billy came home with cute storebought red slipper socks and the fuzzy feet were tossed aside. I was getting a bit bored with them, anyway. I’ll finish them up one of these days. Instead I finished knitting Lara. She wants only seaming, but I don’t have time for it just yet. I’m on deadline today and sneaking a few minutes away from the manuscript to check in with blogland. Here’s Lara, relaxing with Diego. She seems happy without seams. I guess being knit in one piece gives a sweater a certain sense of unseamed security.
Since I was still too sick on Thursday to go into my client’s office as usual, I went in on Friday. It was cold as hell in that office and I started wishing I had something wrapped around my neck and shoulders. A shawl wouldn’t quite work because it would get in the way of my fast-moving red pencil. A Grammar Avenger needs full range of movement when enforcing the grammatical rules of the universe, you know. The capelet I made last year (see gallery. I’m too lazy to hunt down the link right now) almost fits the bill but is a bit too long and too loose. (Confession: That capelet looks a little bit too much like a poncho, and with so many ponchos running around on the street right now I’ve lost interest in that look. Maybe in a few years I’ll want to wear it again…) As soon as I got home I pulled out some Silk Garden (#84) and cast on for a short and tight capelet. I’m doing it neck-down. I just cast on as I would for a top-down raglan sweater, knit a rollneck, then started raglan increases until it was wide enough to hit just at the outer edge of my shoulders. That’s the point it’s at right now. From this point, I’m just going to knit straight down until it hits around mid-chest. I think it’s only going to take two skeins of Silk Garden.
I would have finished the capelet yesterday, but we spent the day and evening (and most of the night) at a family wedding. It was out in Rye, New York, and the ceremony took place outside, looking out over the water as the sun set. Lovely. Hugs to the family members who couldn’t be there. We missed you!
Before heading out to the wedding, Billy spied a bargain for sale on our corner. I’ve been looking for a new outdoor bike. Okay…let me explain that a bit. New Yorkers who like to bike ideally have two bikes: a good one for longer rides that’s too nice to lock up outside on the street (hence called the “indoor bike” because it is never left outdoors unguarded), and a beater bike, one that you may indeed love dearly but that isn’t worth much and can be affordably replaced when it is inevitably stolen. That’s the one you ride around town for errands and commuting, etc. I have a great Surley Crosscheck for my indoor bike (bean green, super light and I swear it rides itself. It handles better than any bike I’ve ever ridden before…), but until yesterday my outdoor bike was a much-loved but seldom used 3,000 lb three-speed English cruiser named Gladys. Gladys looks really cool but handles like a tank. Not fun in NYC traffic. She was too heavy and too clunky. I hated riding her, so never did. Yesterday, Billy spotted an English cruiser in much better shape and a lot lighter. (I have a weakness for the looks of these bikes.) It’s got the original fenders and chainguard, Sturmey Archer contained gears. It wants new brake pads and a new left pedal (it went flying off three times at full speed when I was taking it on a test spin) but otherwise it’s great. Ladies and Gentleknitters, I present to you Gladys Too:
The original Gladys doesn’t know it yet, but she’s about to donate her pedals and brakes to this new bike. I don’t think she’ll mind. She’s just sleeping in the basement most of the time, anyway.
Oh, I love Gladys Too! So retro.
Posted by: Norma
Lara is such a lovely thing to own. How are you going to clasp her together???? Glad you’re feeling better.
Posted by: Secret Pal
Coolest. Bike. Ever. Okay, maybe not as cool as the one in PeeWee’s Big Adventure, but I love it! My grandma had a bike with very similar lines when I was growing up; whenever I would go visit her she would let me ride it everywhere. Come to think of it, that bike was the one that taught me to brake with the back first, not the front. Mmmm.
Posted by: chris
Hmmm. Not sure I’m ready to donate my pedals and brakes to anyone, much less a replacement. It’s not my fault I put on a little weight. These new-fangled English Cruisers aren’t built to last like I was — they’re all light-weight alloys and cheap paint jobs. I know you’ll come back to me darling. It’s only a matter of time.
I ran a line into the basement so I could check the internet. Hope you don’t mind. Oh, and be sure to lock Gladys Too up real tight tonight — it would be a shame if she went missing, now wouldn’t it?
Love,
Gladys (the first)
Posted by: Gladys
I love your bike! And your dogs! And your short-tight-capelet model (as always), and the short-tight-capelet so far. Yes, all of it!
Posted by: alison
Merciful heavens, Diego is a good looking little chap.
Sorry, that bike makes one put on the Britone. Pretty groovy and I like the seat, it looks cushy, but not wussy.
Random, and just out of curiousity: Do you ever knit sweaters for your IGkids?
Posted by: spaazlicious
glad to hear you are feeling better! love the bike- i used to have an outdoor bike, but bad things happened to it 🙁 matt ended up leaving the shell on the sidewalk one day for some other poor soul to use.
Posted by: Rebecca
Oh, I love Gladys Too! So retro.
Posted by: Norma
Lara is such a lovely thing to own. How are you going to clasp her together???? Glad you’re feeling better.
Posted by: Secret Pal
Coolest. Bike. Ever. Okay, maybe not as cool as the one in PeeWee’s Big Adventure, but I love it! My grandma had a bike with very similar lines when I was growing up; whenever I would go visit her she would let me ride it everywhere. Come to think of it, that bike was the one that taught me to brake with the back first, not the front. Mmmm.
Posted by: chris
Hmmm. Not sure I’m ready to donate my pedals and brakes to anyone, much less a replacement. It’s not my fault I put on a little weight. These new-fangled English Cruisers aren’t built to last like I was — they’re all light-weight alloys and cheap paint jobs. I know you’ll come back to me darling. It’s only a matter of time.
I ran a line into the basement so I could check the internet. Hope you don’t mind. Oh, and be sure to lock Gladys Too up real tight tonight — it would be a shame if she went missing, now wouldn’t it?
Love,
Gladys (the first)
Posted by: Gladys
I love your bike! And your dogs! And your short-tight-capelet model (as always), and the short-tight-capelet so far. Yes, all of it!
Posted by: alison
Merciful heavens, Diego is a good looking little chap.
Sorry, that bike makes one put on the Britone. Pretty groovy and I like the seat, it looks cushy, but not wussy.
Random, and just out of curiousity: Do you ever knit sweaters for your IGkids?
Posted by: spaazlicious
glad to hear you are feeling better! love the bike- i used to have an outdoor bike, but bad things happened to it 🙁 matt ended up leaving the shell on the sidewalk one day for some other poor soul to use.
Posted by: Rebecca
and i like the lights and i like em pretty bright
and he pulled out a pipe in the taxi
and i like the lights and i like em pretty bright
and he took off my tights in the taxi…….
Posted by: knightlyknitting
Lara and Diego look good together. Cool bike.
Posted by: Iris
Gladys 2 is lovely. Aren’t bikes wonderful?
Posted by: David
and i like the lights and i like em pretty bright
and he pulled out a pipe in the taxi
and i like the lights and i like em pretty bright
and he took off my tights in the taxi…….
Posted by: knightlyknitting
Lara and Diego look good together. Cool bike.
Posted by: Iris
Gladys 2 is lovely. Aren’t bikes wonderful?
Posted by: David