Friday, April 25, 2008

Cupcakes and other sweets

It's been a busy week. (Surprise, surprise, I know.) I think I spent the remainder of Sunday working on my sweater (just under 50% done now - again assuming 60,000 stitches), but I can't quite recall. Feels like a long time ago.

Finished the Guacamole hat on Monday - does anyone want an avocado hat? I like the pattern, but don't think I can pull off the color.

guacamole
Guacamole!

zuzu wearing hat
Zuzu didn't enjoy wearing the hat - would you?

Finished it with my knitting group then picked up the sweater. Was one of the last to leave because the sweater is an addiction. And knitted in the round, so there is no obvious stopping point. Ever. (Wait, why am I typing now?)

Tuesday was the New Pornographers. Good show, although I missed seeing Neko Case and Dan Bejar. I think my brain supplemented what my ears heard. Baked cookies for Ed early that morning - he tipped me off to the presale info; naturally I was grateful. And promised cookies. Also shared some with my HS knitters. And a few people at work. Zuzu woke me early, so I started baking. I think the cookies were done by 5:30 am. Stashed some dough in the fridge for today, too (will explain later). Even had a bit of time to do a few rows on the sweater. Went to work, then came home for lunch because I felt like spending time with Mike. Back to Cleveland for knitting lessons, where I worked on my sweater and explained knitting in the round.

After hanging out with the HS girls, I spent a few hours in the Euclid Creek Metropark, as it's pretty close to the Beachland, and it made no sense to go home and then back north. Sat on a bench and worked on the sweater. Witnessed a jogger chatting on a cell phone. Made me think of this song. Saw a pair of Metropark deer. No fear of people. Wondered if they were going to visit me during dinner, like my bison friend once did. (I was eating an energy bar - they might have liked a nibble.) Anyway, eventually moved along to Music Saves and enhanced my CD collection, in part with my bonus WRUW telethon premium. Met Ed, who proved to be as nice of a guy as he sounds. Gave him his cookies as well as a few treats for his cat. (Donate to his show! C'mon, you know you want to!) Enjoyed the conversation and then the show, as the NPs played many favorite songs (including a cover of ELO's "Don't Bring Me Down - ELO always makes me think of Xanadu - I really need to get to NYC to catch that on Broadway with Gretchen!), and was not quite groped. Very odd experience - a petite woman was making her way through the crowd, and was, um, overly friendly. She was gaining people's attention by touching their waists and shoulders in a very intimate fashion. Almost like she wanted someone to turn and kiss her. She did it to me, as well as the woman in front of me. And yes, we both felt somewhat invaded. It was odd enough that we chatted about it.

There has been a theme in my life lately: I have been knitting outside a lot. Tuesday afternoon, deck and Metropark. Spent Wednesday's lunch hour at a lakefront park, knitting. Used the time between work Wednesday and the museum lecture to work on my sweater while sitting on a bench in Wade Oval. Big news: I am no longer entirely pasty white! The backs of my neck and shoulders are now pink. And sore. Enjoyed the Wade Oval time, though. Saw a grackle trying a bird of paradise move - he puffed up his neck, showing off his iridescent feathers. Also saw a pair of mallards just hanging out in the middle of the oval. I know the Botanical Garden has some water, but the middle of the oval does not. Appreciated the lecture, especially since vicuna was mentioned. Chatted with a few Kirtlandia members as well. Got home, passed out.

Spent Thursday evening running errands with Mike. Lizard, Lowe's, Library, and grocery store. With a detour to Mark's so he could return a carboy. Went to bed early. Ahhh, sleep.

Argh. Just spent an hour on the phone. Not that it's bad, but I wasn't ready for the calls, and my sweater was still in its bag! No knitting! *gasp* Jennifer and I are heading out to Pittsburgh on Sunday to catch Nick Lowe. (Thanks WYEP!) Will probably have lunch with my mom, may hang out with my dad for a while (I should bring him cupcakes or something - today is his birthday) when he's at work on the golf course, may go on a Just Ducky tour. Fun stuff. May just spend time outside knitting.

Oh yeah. Made cupcakes this afternoon. Baked the rest of the cookie dough this morning, and this afternoon, per our friend Chris's request, made more of the vanilla cupcakes. Since he and I share a desk, he will have several cupcakes when he arrives on Monday. Or he might visit me tomorrow, who knows. Yes, the cupcakes are worth going in to work on a weekend. Reason for the cookies and cupcakes? One of the instructors always buys dinner for his students on the last Friday of classes, and last week, asked what I wanted. He had no obligation to include me, but as he did, I figured I'd bring cookies. Mentioned that to Chris, and he suggested cupcakes. As this morning's work went surprisingly well and as a result I got home at a reasonable hour, I made cupcakes. Yum. I think I may have another now. After I refill my water bottle. Some of them turned out ugly for some unknown reason, but they are all tasty.

Anyway, I should try to get a teensy bit of knitting in before I leave. And pick up my tupperware from downstairs. I work all day tomorrow, so I should be able to get a good bit of my sweater done then. Will post pictures when I upload more. Have fun!

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