Star Shaped

This weekend, I randomly went to Kentucky. I also spent an insubordinate amount of time in a car, driving the interstate between Louisville and Cincinnati, happily gazing outside the windows to see mountains much like the mountains near my hometown in Massachusetts.

I’ve been drawn to blues and blacks and whites recently.

Scott’s mother, our sister-in-law, and Scott’s aunt embarked on a trip across southern Indiana and northern Kentucky on Saturday for a shop hop; the three of them purchased ‘passports’ from one of the shops, then had to get the passport ’stamped’ at eight different shops in the area. Eight. I was along for the ride during round 2 of the hop, which took me to five different shops throughout the area. I was interested. I like driving around a state I had only been to twice prior; once to Louisville about five years ago, and again to help his grandfather move into his old apartment a few years ago. I love new states.

I knit. Everyone knows I knit. What everyone does not know, however, is that I quilt. A little. Scott’s mom taught me how a few years back and got me a basic sewing machine for Christmas that year, but I haven’t devoted much time to it so far. I have a few quilting books, even, and I’ve put together a few tops. She said I did a good job for not having done it before, and I had a good time figuring things out. I think I like quilting because of the mathematical parts; measuring, fitting things together, finding a way to put the pieces together. It’s like a puzzle, somewhat.

But now I want to do more quilting. I saw some patterns I liked (how could I not; I did go to five different quilt shops, each with their own assortment of quilts adorning the walls, of course I’d find a pattern or two I liked!), and I’m pretty sure I can improvise a pattern and figure out what I need to do without buying a book. It’s pretty fascinating, the art of cutting up fabric and sewing it back together in patterns. I always liked geometry and tesselations as a kid, and I do have a minor in mathematics, so it’s no surprise I’m drawn into quilting.

001.365. I hope I stick with this.

I believe I’m going to attempt the 365 project again. I tried taking a picture of myself once a day back in August and again in October, failing after about thirty days both times. This time, I hope to take pictures every day, even if I loathe the photo immensely. I want to stick with it. (EDIT: Nope, I didn’t stick with it. I stopped updating sometime in May.)

I wanted to mention this in my last post, but my husband started a blog, titled Zero Comments. Please, don’t let his blog live up to its name and leave him some feedback! He’ll be writing about politics, gaming, and life in general, and he has a post now about who he’s backing in the 2008 US Presidential election and some reasons why. I’m looking forward to reading more of his posts. (EDIT: His blog no longer exists.)

Christmas stars, in March.

I’ve been quiet this week, mainly because I’ve been so tired after a day of work. Today’s been a good day, mainly because I’ve been able to relax, get a few things done, and take time to update Wordpress to the 2.5 release candidate. (Which I’m digging so far. I really like the new look of the admin interface.) I love weekends.

I finished the left side of Arisaig the other day. As I predicted, as soon as I finished the ribbing from hell, it took me maybe three days of casual knitting to get the top part done. The shaping on the top part of the left side differs slightly from the right; I decreased a little earlier on the left side than I did the right, but I don’t think it will be too noticeable. We’ll see what happens.

My biggest worry throughout this project is that this thing’s going to be way, way too small for me. I keep on forgetting that this is a lace project, knit on tiny needles; therefore, once I block the pieces, they’ll look a bit more normal in size.

This is what the lace pattern will look like once this is blocked.

I also finished my first Jaywalker sock a couple days ago. I met up with a new (to me) group of people in town on Wednesday and the sock flew off my needles as I sipped my hot chocolate and chatted with the new people I met. All in all, good times, and I’m halfway done with a cool looking pair of socks! It fit me perfectly as well, though due to the lack of stretch in the pattern, I had a difficult time putting the sock on and taking it off. Still, I’m looking forward to getting the second sock done.

Much to my dismay, we received a few inches of snow here yesterday and today. Even though I’ve lived in places that get considerable amounts of snowfall each winter, I still dislike it. I hate clearing off my car, driving in slush, and slipping on ice. I had hoped winter was over, but no. Not just yet. Hopefully now we won’t get much more snow, but knowing this area, we’ll have a blizzard in April. Winter, I’m so over you.

I spent the majority of this past weekend knitting one of the front panels of the Arisaig cardigan and watching Season 1 of Heroes, which I borrowed from a friend months ago. (Yes, Josh, I’m finally watching the series. Finally.) We didn’t do much this weekend, but we enjoyed ourselves and I felt pretty productive.

I’ve been working on Arisaig now for over a year. I started back in January 2007 after I bought soft purple yarn from WEBS when I visited my parents for Christmas. I love the pattern; I love the lace and I love the stretchiness of the fabric I’ve made. What I don’t love is knitting lots and lots of ribbing on size 1 US needles. Thankfully, finally, I finished all the ribbing on the last part that needs it last night, so hopefully the last panel and the two sleeves will go quickly. I want to finish this cardigan before spring is over.

Let me tell you a story. Last week, somehow, one of my cats managed to tangle my yarn around my computer chair arm. Not on it, or under it; around it. I still don’t understand. It took me all day to untangle, wind, and rewind the ball to look halfway useable, and now I’ve learned my lesson. No leaving knitting projects on my desk.

Speaking of computers, I went ahead and bought a laptop this past weekend. I’ve been talking about it for the past few months, and we set aside some money and took the plunge. I’ll be able to finish my novel, surf the internet in other rooms besides this one, and bring it with me wherever I go. I can’t wait for it to come in.

On Sunday, Scott and I went to a new restaurant a few miles from our house. We’ve passed it on the street many times; a nice, new looking, green and red stripey building with tinted windows, outdoor deck area surrounded by a black wrought iron fence, and plenty of parking illuminated by decorative lights around the perimeter. As we sat down, we looked at our paper menus with football themed titles for the sections (’first down’ was appetizers, etc) and glanced at the shiny new flat screen TVs broadcasting the Florida - Kentucky basketball game, musing that this place must be a sports bar.

Until we heard the first few strains of “Keep on Loving You” by REO Speedwagon over the loudspeakers and glanced at the ‘Live - Laugh - Love’ and ‘Home is where the journey begins’ framed pictures on the rust colored walls which would have looked more in place at my mother’s house. We couldn’t stifle our laughter. We were so confused as to how this place wanted to present itself as a restaurant. A mid-end family eatery? A down home, local sports bar? We couldn’t tell, but we enjoyed ourselves. I ordered chicken fingers with honey mustard sauce and topped it off with a raspberry cheesecake, and didn’t end up eating dinner that night, I was so full. We definitely enjoyed ourselves.

This morning, I woke up groggy and devoid of sleep, wishing I could go back to bed. Today, at 7:30, watching the setting sun, I decided I didn’t mind the coming of Daylight Saving Time.

Just like Laura, I’ve been craving a fresh start somewhere else. I’ve owned Star Shaped now for seven and a half years; in some ways I feel much different from the 19 year old girl about ready to start her sophomore year of college. I’m as grown up as I’ll ever get; working full time, married, owning our own home. It’s been a difficult decision to abandon the place I called home for so long, as cheesy and strange as that seems, but I do believe in fresh starts.

What’s new in the life of Aubrey:

As always, I’m spending a ton of time knitting. I’m working on too many projects, of course, but I’m fully confident I’ll finish them all someday. Hopefully.

Scott and I started playing World of Warcraft again. Yeah, yeah, I know. I signed back up mainly to use up a 60 day game card I got for Christmas in 2006, so I figure there’s no harm in playing again for a bit. I’ve started a priest on the Alliance side and so far, myself, Scott, and Scott’s friend are having a fun time questing around in the Draenai starting area.

We traveled to Massachusetts to visit my family a few weekends ago, and Scott and I had a rockin’ good time playing Guitar Hero III with my dad. (Yes, my parents own Guitar Hero. This still amazes me.) Nothing’s funnier than watching your dad rock out to “Talk Dirty To Me”. I’m also, finally, finally mastering that orange button on the Guitar Hero guitars and have been able to actually play through some songs on hard. Don’t ask why I consider this an accomplishment.

I’m looking forward to winter being over. I’m not a big fan of driving on icy roads and clearing off my car before I leave work every evening. Thankfully February’s almost halfway over (how did THAT happen?), and hopefully March will not be bad, weather wise. (Of course, I say that now, and watch us be trapped in our home by snowdrifts on March 31st.) I’m looking forward to grilling again too, honestly.