halloween!!

happy halloween; L is going out with her friend and her friend's little sister. The weather couldn't be more perfect for a dash around a neighborhood (not ours) . . . We've got our bowl of candy at the ready for anyone attempting to access our kitchen door.

various

I've been busy. My colleague and neighbor, A, and I threw a party Saturday night!

A's grill was on the fritz, so at the eleventh hour, we brought our Webber kettle over to cook the hamburgers and hot dogs. I even made this, which was devoured! We did have kind of a fall theme, as A and I are still inundated with winter squash from our CSA.

There were about twenty-five or so, including Stacie and Shayne, plus various kids, all superb and divine. As they were all boys (L stayed to eat, then left as there were no teenagers; she worked on homework!) there was a lot of running around in the woods and, after dark, a great bonfire!

A's house is, as the real estate agents like to say, built for entertaining (she even has a pool!) so everyone flowed about with great ease. I really liked talking and listening to some of the husbands I hadn't met before. P's husband has quite a sense of humor.

Twenty years ago, I would have hidden behind a potted plant, rather than talk to anyone. Maybe it's turning 50, but I had a great time meeting and getting to know a wider range of people. I guess we do change . . . but it takes time.

A portion of my trip

Yes, we finally got away to a little inn right in midtown. All these photos are the handiwork of L; this view is looking down from our porch outside our rooms.



A peek into L's room, which opened right up to the porch; D and I were told to be quiet, as we were too raucous, I guess, during our pre-dinner glass of wine drinking.


We went here and had a lovely time, looking at all the plants.


We fought the urge, and followed the directive below:



Tranquility . . .

Away

Going to the big city for a few days to look at colleges (and maybe do some shopping?).

Knitting today—string grocery bag

I've ensconced myself on the couch for a while; I've started knitting on this, from Purlbee. I'm using the Peaches and Cream I had used for the background color for a few dish clothes, rather than the Rowan cotton that was suggested. The P&C is worsted weight (and very cost effective, too!), rather than the fine, almost fingering weight of the Rowan. I'm still using number 9 needles, though. I tried 13's, but I think the holes of the lace would have been too large to be practical.

I'm eager to see how quickly this will work up, too; and I'll get some more practice in picking up stitches when I come to do the i cord for the handles. I'd like to get this done before the weekend and use it.

This might be a great start on designing something myself, and maybe starting to dye, too. This ecru color is pretty darn blah, and I'm sure I'm going to need another skein, whose dye lot probably won't be the same.

I'm taking a break from the shop, too, which is a good thing, I think. I'm waiting to see what transpires when our final member returns at the end of the month, but I'm thinking that group enterprises are not for me . . .

spam? you bet!

I just checked my g-mail inbox, and what did I spy but over 100 spams . . . a record day!

I have to get these pictures up from the race, but lately my pix seem rather muddy. L tells me to send them through Flickr first; what do you think?

River run; Prelude

The river was absolutely beautiful yesterday; I have some pictures to post tomorrow of the Susan G. Komen race, but here are two preliminary ones. The race was partially along the river walk.


L and K walk down the River Walk toward their spot to play; one selection was, puzzlingly, Leaving on a Jet Plane.



The quartet played while the runners ran by. There was a lot of "woo-ing" from the runners in response to their playing. Yea, girls! And a saintly Mrs. B, who organized the whole thing, remained for the entire time. A group of fraternity boys stopped by, but the girls gave them the cold shoulder . . .