Do I look cold?


(My face looks weird there--if you click on it I look normal.) On our second-to-last day in Colorado (two weeks ago), we toured a gold mine, rode the cog railway to Pikes Peak (most of the way--it was too windy for the train to go all the way up) AND visited Garden of the Gods, where this picture was taken. Forty-plus mph winds, temperatures in the fifties and low oxygen made this not as fun as it could've been. I've mentioned here before how my in-laws don't believe in relaxing on vacation; this trip was no exception. Every day we were up at seven to go run around somewhere, and the time difference was no cushion because we were out until at least ten every night. I did get to buy this--


(Araucania Ranco Multi--hooray for more kettle-dyed sock yarn!)--and have high English tea at a beautiful old hotel, and eat elk steak (tasty) and Rocky Mountain oysters (overrated--the texture was weird, and the whole thing was very Fear Factor), AND I got to see my friend Stacey, but when we got home I was so exhausted, for like a week. My allergies were awful when we got back, and I seriously considered cancelling my audition last Saturday, but the company isn't having general auditions again until February so I made myself go through with it. I was certainly not at my best, but I did well enough to make a very good impression on the AD (who's heard me sing before, but only as a soprano or little bit roles). There may just be something in my future with this company, though probably not this coming season. And guess what Mark let me buy while we were in this nameless crunchy town on the Blue Ridge Parkway (hint hint):



Lace Malabrigo! I cannot describe how yummy this yarn is. Oh, and here's more.



I'm making a Swallowtail Shawl, partly as a mini-knitalong with Nik and a few others in the SnB. I've been ogling lace shawl patterns for a while, but I hesitated because I'm more of a stole/scarf person than a triangular shawl person. But it's just a really pretty pattern... And Mark was so sweet..."Why don't you get two of them?", he said. Though they were only nine dollars each (such a bargain!).

Speaking of Mark, I have begun working on his red Rhombus socks:



I've even double-checked the color with him. He says it's not too pink for him. Hell, as long as he likes it, I'm game (and it helps that the yarn is really nice to work with, and the pattern is fun).

What else? Um, I've finished Cathy's birthday socks and mailed them the other day (send me a picture, if you don't mind people ogling your feet). And my plane socks? Well, I decided they would be better for someone else, so they are destined to be a gift as well--no pictures for a little bit on those.

In other news, all this week our kitchen was in upheaval while new countertops, a new sink and a microwave hood were installed. The counters are not exactly fancy--more chipboard laminate--but they look pretty good, and they seem very easy to keep clean. Our old ones were so nasty--forty-year-old white laminate that was literally disintegrating. It makes the kitchen look so much cleaner. Of course, we are still planning to buy a house by the end of the year, but at least we'll get to enjoy it for the next few months.

Weekend plans: tomorrow we put away laundry, Sunday Mark's making barbecue (North Carolina barbecue, i.e. smoked pork shoulder--we are not exactly equipped for a whole-hog operation here, with our little Weber!) and we'll have friends over. No plans for Monday yet. Maybe hiking, if it's not too hot. It has been incredibly beautiful here for the last two weeks. I hate thinking how hot it's going to get, and soon...I just have to enjoy it now!

I leave you with TV notes: the House finale was awesome, and so sad; I was actually upset to see Amber die (who knew?). And the Ugly Betty finale: what happens?! Where does she end up going? I can't believe we have to wait until September...