the change we need

A week ago marked our six-month anniversary in Portland. We arrived on April 23rd at around 11pm, and it was October 23rd. Things had been a little difficult lately; I didn't get a job that I wanted, another person backed out of buying our apartment in New York, our bank nearly failed (OK, this wasn't really so bad as it was taken over by another bank and we didn't actually have any real problems, and not nearly enough money in said bank to not have it insured by the Feds, but with $1 in your wallet, you don't want to hear that your bank is going under.)


Happy halloween, by the way.

So. Just about eight hours away from our six-month anniversary in Portland, the phone rang. It was another job offer, one that I was also happy to accept. A job in my field, which is considerably smaller in Portland than it is in New York. But I can't really get over the ironic timing: it did take less than six months to find a job here, but yikes, could it have been any tighter?

I start on Monday. My first time in an office in six months. My first commute in six months. Yes, I'm a touch nervous. But the trick-or-treaters don't seem to circulate in my neighborhood, so I'll have lots of candy to bring to my new co-workers.

PS: I already voted. Did you?

neck cozy

My chilly neck is calling out for a cozy little scarf. I really liked the Herringbone Neckwarmer (pattern available here*), and cast on Wednesday night with a skein of Morehouse Merino three-strand that I purchased at Rhinebeck in 2007. The Herringbone pattern is the same one used in the My So-Called Scarf (pattern available here**). A couple of years ago, I tried to make one and found it nearly impossible. Even this time, when writing out the pattern into my traveling notebook, I couldn’t get my head around what the directions were instructing. But I decided to plunge in and just start. And lo, it made sense once I started knitting.

It's coming along well, and should be keeping me warm very soon. Now I need to shop for buttons...

*The comments at the end of the pattern were very helpful in figuring it all out.

**And it’s in Dutch, too!

waiting pattern

Life is in a bit of a waiting pattern right now. Waiting for the election,

(this week's cover of the Willamette Week, the Village Voice of Portland), waiting for reports of all the fun that was had at Rhinebeck (the first one I've missed in years; last night Hubby commented that Oregon Flock and Fiber can't really compare to New York Sheep and Wool), and waiting to dive into the confusing cast off of my grandmother's shawl.

(My neat and tidy knit-2-togethers on the right, and sloppy slip-slip-knits on the left. I really need to experiment and find an alternative that is better for my knitting style.) Hopefully it will all block out and look lacy and lovely...

I did get to see Ann and Kay on Monday night at their reading/book signing, and took no pictures. It was quite entertaining to have Kay look over, furrow her brow, and say, "What are you doing here?" Many days, I ask myself the same thing.

brr...

After that flurry of finishing projects, I had to take a little break. Planning Christmas presents has been on the forefront of my knitting thinking, and I purchased one skein of yarn to make a little shawl for my grandmother.

I like the colors of this, and it's my first Dream in Color yarn. I made the corrections in the pattern (which will be the Diamonds and Pearls Shawl from the Knitter's Book of Yarn), and just need to wind the skein.

However, I'm really tempted to make myself a neckwarmer, because it's been cold cold cold here in Portland. I'm typing with gloves on, in fact. I have tons of scarves, of course, but the ends tend to get in the way while I'm doing dishes, etc. I have the yarn... and the chilly neck... and plenty of time before Christmas...

giftie pile

I finished up a couple more single skeins... just a few days past September. First up: socks for a grandmother, out of yarn purchased while on vacation last year. They are rather silky, which I find surprising for superwash merino.

I made another Unoriginal Hat out of Misti Alpaca Bulky, and loved the zippy nature of a 36 row pattern. It was over before it had hardly begun...

I have half a Jaywalker sock to finish, and then will have another completed gift for the boxes that will head east in a few months. I wonder how early I need to ship my gifts to make it across the country?