well travelled

I'm going to tell you about a little trip, and I can't believe it's been so long since we've been back! So much happened, then the boys went back to school (they go in mid August) and then I had that little mishap with my iPhone. Thankfully, I had already uploaded a ton of the trip photos before I lost everything. (Word to the wise: back up. All the time. Why didn't I do this? I who have back-up upon back-up of my computers? No one–least of all I–knows.) Then the Rim Fire. Honestly, the smoke got into my brain circuits in a bad way. But it's going away now! The wind shifted and I just spent a lovely evening out on the porch with Mr. Romi. We will be enjoying the heck out of it until the wind shifts back.

Anyway. We took a little road trip down to Southern California to visit my Mother-in-Law. I hurriedly wound my lovely Saffron Dyeworks yarn (Casablanca in Rusty Halo*) into a ball to take along, and my first shawl for Y4 went along for the ride.

We saw trees

and desert.

We travelled through the Owens Valley (famous if you have ever read Cadillac Desert or know otherwise about the California water wars and how LA dried out the Owens Valley and Mono Lake).

We visited and we chatted. And when we had tired out Mr. Romi's dear mother for the day, we went down to the water to give her a little break. My knitting went along, of course.

Mr. Romi's cousin happened to be about to go out in search of blue whales in his gorgeous boat (more about that boat later on this week - it's very cool and deserves its own post). My knitting came out for a cameo, but went back in the bag so I could enjoy the beautiful day on the water.

Bear was relaxing in his space.

#1 Son was controlling things.

We saw the whale blow (off to the left there), and I have so many pics, but this one sort of sums up the experience.

We were there for quite awhile, watching the whale surface and then go back down to feed again. And then we went in search of dolphins. We saw Pacific Bottlenose and Common. They swam alongside the boat, playing in our wake with their babies. They were as interested in us as we were in them.

Then our cousin got out his auquaphone. Bear was absolutely lost to us at that point, and we almost didn't get him back in the car to leave. I think we have a oceanographer/marine biologist in the making. He is a true water baby, but to be honest, this was one of the most amazing experiences of my life too, and I am not a big water lover.

We went back to shore.

And then it was time for refreshments.

We visited some more, both MIL and cousin for the long weekend. And then we were back on our way.

We saw Joshua trees,

and then we were home again.

It was a lovely trip.

*(Saffron Dyeworks is currently having problems getting the Casablanca base, but I think Mini Mica would be a great substitute!)

family friday

I can't believe my baby is 10 years old today. He's a little bit man.

And still a large part little boy.

But he's still my Bear.

Where did the time go?

monday's musing

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending." - Maria Robinson

This is for my elder son and for everyone else who thinks that - just because they screwed something up - there's no way to make it better.

Because everyone has the power to change their life for the better.

Happy Monday! I disappeared last week to take care of my little Bear. I was horribly worried about him after last weekend's swim meet. A younger team mate was diagnosed with viral pneumonia, and I said to Mr. Romi "I'm so glad we're past that scary age when every illness seems so very serious." That evening, Bear's cough got worse and worse (he had had a mild cold the week before) and all I could think was that I had tempted fate by saying what I had. Coughing and fever took on greater serious proportions, and Mr. Romi and I took turns staying up with our little one and making sure the fever didn't get out of hand those first two nights. After Bear had been on his antibiotics a couple of days, he started getting better and better. What a relief. But he won't be going to the next JOs (Junior Olympics) as we had planned. He's still not allowed back in the pool. At least it wasn't viral pneumonia; bronchitis was the diagnosis. We breathed a collective sigh of relief when he began acting himself again.

This week I'm looking forward to cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner in our new house - and so is Bear, my little foodie. The menu: turkey with cornbread and chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce (my current favorite thing to make because I love watching their skins pop off!), yams, wild rice dressing with mushrooms, mesclun/pear/pecan salad with blue cheese crumbles and citrus vinaigrette, and some apple goo for dessert. We have so much to be thankful for this year, and I will start early; thank you all so much for reading my blog, commenting, writing to me, knitting my patterns, and wearing my pins. You are so very much appreciated.

Have a fantastic week!

potpourri

It's been a long time since I've written, but I'm popping in with some catch-up!

I released my October Pins & Lace Club pattern yesterday. (Don't miss the sign-ups for 2013!)

I've called it Firebird, in thanks to the amazingly brave and wonderful firefighters who saved us over the summer fire season.

The full club kit came with a nickel shawl pin (an impressionistic take on wings), a sample of my favorite wool wash Kookaburra, and Spark lace yarn from Little Red Bicycle. It was a special color called Scarlet Sentinel in wool, silk and stellina metallic, which adds just a subtle sparkle to the yarn. 

The sample shown here is knit in The Grinning Gargoyle's lovely Divine Lace in Signature Red, as the mail gods conspired against my receiving Didi's yarn on time.

The shawl starts in the center (in the round) and is divided later

as part of it is bound off

and the two sides are worked into wings.

I used Rosemarie's belly button start for the center, which I love love love. But I am admitting here - to all of you who have similar troubles - I always have to start several times when I knit laceweight yarn in the round. Usually, I start and rip about 4 or 5 times, sometimes more. One of these days, I'll post a video of me starting and having all the needles fall out, just so you can all have a laugh!

A couple weekends ago, at the Carson City pool complex (indoor; Olympic-sized), Reno/Sparks teams hosted a meet and my little one, The Bear, got two JO times! This means he qualifies for a championship meet (Junior Olympics) and he cannot wait to go!

We are super excited for him. He is one positive little guy. (I wish that we could move his elder brother in the positive direction, but he seems determined to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Someone please tell me I am not alone here. It's so painful to watch him defeat himself.)

Last Friday, it was Nevada Day, which meant no school. It was also our 16th wedding anniversary. We all piled in the car to go up to Granlibakken and pick up a Clemes & Clemes wheel that had traveled down to SOAR via Tracy and Tom from Diane in Eugene, OR. What nice people! Spinners and knitters are truly the kindest people. Here she is. (I am sure she is a she, but I'm not sure why I think so.)

While I was at SOAR - only for about an hour total - I made a whirlwind tour of the market tent (yes - tent - and apparently not bear-proof) and stopped by the Verb for Keeping Warm booth to see two shivering friends (Kristine and Aday) from the California Bay Area. I will admit to having made some good-natured fun of them. And I had to snap a pic.

I stopped by Karen's booth and she insisted I take some of her lovely yarn. I couldn't refuse. So I chose two skeins for a new two color design.

I got a much needed niddy noddy from Clemes and Clemes.
I had wanted to replace the orifice hook on my new wheel,

but they hadn't brought any hooks with them. So this past weekend, Mr. Romi and I did a tandem project.

I love it.

In other news, Otto the Dog has a new necklace. (He can take it off, as well as put it on all by himself.)

We finally installed our new doorbell.

And...look at the splash of color up on the mountain!

There must be a seep or a running spring up there, and look at the lovely grove of aspens. We've been watching them change color as fall progresses.

Traditions

It's funny how traditions take root, isn't it? Around here, the central holiday tradition is my elder son misbehaving in some horrendous way. This year, though he is keeping up his end of the tradition nobly, we are trying not to partake as completely as in years past. I'll let you all know how that one works out! Isn't it amazing how my polar opposite sons come from the same genetic pool? I marvel at it daily.

Meanwhile, quick and hearty meals become a must in the chaos leading up to Christmas. And because The Bear can't eat dairy or eggs, we don't eat a lot of processed foods (something we thank him for regularly - we're all convinced that the family is healthier because of The Bear.) We've re-written many recipes Mr. Romi and I grew up with to make them Bear-safe, and yesterday I trotted out an old favorite that my southern grandmother used to make: hot dogs baked in a pan of cornbread. I re-wrote that one, too, of course. Instead of buttermilk, the cornbread is made with soy milk and vinegar. The hot dogs became chicken-mango sausage, and The Bear's cheese was a vegan Monterey Jack I picked up at the local store (and which received two thumbs up). I filled ours with Havarti and a few little shreds of cheddar so I could tell them all apart.

This is one of the most satisfying foods of my childhood. And the kids love it too. Comfort in a pan! The cornbread is unsweetened like my grandmother made it ("sweetened cornbread is nothing but Johnny-cake!") and I think even as much as she loved using buttermilk in her baking, she would approve of the soy version. Doesn't it look inviting?

If any of you are interested in the cornbread recipe, or the cornbread/sausage recipe, I'd be happy to post it. Though the sausage is obviously not vegan, the cornbread by itself is. Let me know? In fact, please just say hello and let me know you're out there. I was so enjoying reading your responses to my post yesterday! Thank you for writing. :)

In knitting news, I've been working on some textured yumminess.

I posted a picture on Twitter the other day, and now I have a little more of a hint to show you.

I am loving this next muse! The yarn is from Brooke at Sincere Sheep and the colors are wonderful! I had some knitting time today, but not as much as I would have liked. This is the 10th shawl I've designed and knit this year, and I have another half-finished muse that may make it into the 11th spot. That is, unless something crazy happens! :knockonwood: A this point though? I'm just rolling with it.

(btw, it's chilly in the house and I'm sitting here, toasty warm in my lined Poinsettia Tam. I guess it works for wimpy Californians as well as Canadians!) ;)

Time is ticking down to Christmas, Mr. Romi had emergency oral surgery today, and the kids got into the presents while we were gone. Wish me luck! I'll be wishing you all well too. :)

Please help me choose!

Some of you may remember that I convinced the wonderful (well, she didn't need much convincing because she is so wonderful!) Dee from Saffron Dyeworks to create a new color of her Enya Sock for a little fundraising shawl pattern for my sons' swim team, the Neptunes. The Neptunes, like so many other swim teams, have been having a very difficult time of it because of the shaky economy in my county. Though this isn't a nation- or world-wide cause, the team is very close to our hearts in this family - swimming is a terrific sport - and I am hoping to help out as much as possible. There are quite a few kids whose parents are unable to pay the dues, and added scholarships (swimmerships?) have been helping to drain the team's coffers.

For the pattern, $5 of each purchase will go to the Neptunes team. And the afore-mentioned wonderful Dee has pledged $5 from each skein of 50 that she will make available for pre-order, as well as $5 per skein ordered within a three month period (she will set the dates on that one). We are all so excited and thankful here that I can hardly tell you!

Well...Dee just sent me three gorgeous watery colors, and I can't decide which to choose! So I showed them to the boys (my two younger ones and the older one) and they each chose a different one! Will you help me please? I took a picture of them, but the colors are so vibrant that the picture doesn't really do them justice.

#1 is probably most like clear blue pool water, with a little grey thrown in; #2 is the stunning green of the San Francisco Bay right near Angel Island, and #3 is the brilliant turquoise of the South Pacific near a white sandy beach. Which can you absolutely not resist?

Please leave me a comment and let me know which one you love best!

Mom's rules for life

Happy Mother's Day everyone! Here I am blogging from the swim meet again. (To those of you who asked, I'm using the Blogger+ ap for iPhone-I like it but still have to figure out how to post pics). It's a super windy day, but we're in a nice protected little corner. Yay!

Driving to the swim meet with sleeping kids and without adult conversation (Mr. Romi is away this weekend) gives one a lot of time to think. It was actually rather nice and peaceful. (Brrrrrrrr-sun just went behind a cloud). So I contemplated my rules of life and shared them with the boys when they awoke. They were unimpressed. It's always good to have kids around to keep you real, you know? But I think, just for fun, I will share them here anyway.

1. Figure out what you love to do and do it with abandon.
2. Work hard and play hard.
3. Never stop learning.
4. Strive for perfection and be happy with excellence.
5. It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down, only that you get up one more time. (with thanks to Mr. Romi's dad)
6. Make the best of every situation. Look for opportunities everywhere, especially in failure.
7. No matter how you feel, always hold yourself like a winner.
8. Be excellent to each other. (with thanks to Bill and Ted)
9. Don't worry; be happy. (with thanks to Bobby McFerrin)
10. If something means a lot to you, never give up on it.

And there you go. Have a great one!

(I will post the chicken curry recipe this coming week)

Is this thing on?

Just got a blogging ap for my iPhone and here I sit, at a swim meet, blogging. How cool is that?! I still haven't figured out how to upload pics from my phone, but I'm working on it.

Last week was utter madness. Got back from teaching at (the awesome) YarnOver and immediately needed to help poor Mr. Romi get ready for a business trip of his own. He's still gone, I actually got a little accomplished, and we even got to the swim meet on time! I'm feeling fairly impressed with myself for getting us all out the door this morning at 5:40 a.m. I even put some chicken curry in the slow cooker and set the time delay on the rice cooker. I know the feeling will pass (one can never feel impressed with oneself very long when there are kids around) so I'm enjoying it as much as possible.

Well. Here's hoping this post doesn't look utterly bizarre. Back to being Swim Mom!! :)

Later? Pics of yarn. And peeps.

Travelin'

So here I am. Sitting on the airporter and blogging. How cool is that?! I know I will sound old saying this, but it amazes me every time I can do something like this. Really. On a bus. On my computer. On the internets. Blogging. Dude!

I'm on my way to Yarnover in Minneapolis and I hope to see you there!

More when I return. Maybe. Next week is even crazier than the past few weeks have been. I was actually looking forward to a little airporter and plane time so I could knit and blog!

My little Bear is swimming in the ten and under championships on Saturday and I will be missing it. I'm wishing my cutie a fast fast pool and some amazing times. I wish I could be there. Next weekend Mr. Romi is off to a big archery shoot and I am spending Mother's Day weekend being a mother and taking the kids to a swim meet! And knitting on a secret project.

Yep. The next couple of weeks are crazy!

Talent in the family

Ok. So I don't have pics of the second Sakaki. This is because I forgot all about the annual swim team talent show this evening! But I do have the poems #1 Son wrote and read. I think they're pretty cool, especially considering he's only 11.

Mind Over Body

one shall prevail

with his mind

at ease.

one shall prevail

when he senses

victory.

one shall prevail

with determination

on his mind.

one shall prevail.

over body;

with mind.

And then he did this one, with a little tongue in cheek last bit to it. And yes, he was fully aware that it was kitchy and silly and in the running for a "worst line of the year" literature award. It was his little joke. Blew me completely away!

California Spring

in spring

the light of sun

bursts forth through stormy clouds

to shine upon the Earth

and make peace with the elements

to bring forth the buds

and spread joy and happiness

about to bless

the world with life

then wet the leaves

with dew

so that it may sparkle

in early morning light

like millions of mirrors

in the dressing rooms

of the ants

By the way, when I said he might play more to his audience by rhyming the poetry, he announced that it "wasn't his thing." :snork: 11 going on 30. Yessirree.

:(

7 Small Shawls: T - 56 days and counting down.

I spent several hours with my baby (I can still call him that - he's only 7) at the doctor's today. He truly couldn't breathe. He needed two albuterol breathing treatments before his lungs were clear enough to tell if it was pneumonia or not. (It's not). And can I tell you how wonderful it was to see pink color come back into his face? And how horrifically selfish and ugly I felt having hoped that he wouldn't quite be over his cold so I wouldn't have to go to a swim meet this weekend? Ugh.

But he seems to be fine now: sleeping peacefully and without fever. And breathing, which is most important. Whew.

My brain is feeling random today, so beware of disjointed factoids.

1. I bought two pairs of rain boots at my very favorite online store, Sierra Trading Post,

in hopes that they would prevent this weekend's swim meet from being rainy.

So far, I think it's working, although I also think I'm probably staying home with Bear.

2. I finished listening to The 19th Wife audiobook. I'm torn about this book. At first, I thought it was largely true, but as far as I can tell after reading more about it, it's mostly fiction. I feel almost betrayed by some of the unnecessary fabrication having to do with real historical figures. Isn't the actual history interesting enough?

3. I am freaking out about finishing up my 7 Small Shawls, but I am absolutely and completely determined that they will be done by the end of the year. Maybe not all test knitted, but they will be designed and knitted by me. Yes, they will.

4. I have a lot to do this weekend.

Doing the parent thing

In the rain. At a swim meet. Brrrrr. Squish.

And it's supposed to be wetter tomorrow. Off to look for my rain pants. If I find them, it won't rain. Right? :)

Yay team!

7 Small Shawls: T - 89 days and counting down.

Today was the swim team awards ceremony, and a couple of somebodies got trophies.

One of them for the first time. There was much joy at Chez Romi!

Observations

7 Small Shawls: T - 139 days and counting down.

1. Green paint in a plastic bottle dropped from the balcony onto a tile floor does not bounce.

2. Explosions affect an amazingly large area.

3. Cuteness is essential to the survival of children.

4. Disasters invariably happen right before the post office closes.

5. See #3.

What a difference a day makes

7 Small Shawls: T - 193 days and counting down.

Thanks to all of you who sent encouragement! Today I've been feeling much better. I made a to-do list and crossed 6 items off. They weren't huge, but they did include secret project #1. I am so happy to have that gone gone gone! I am feeling a great sense of accomplishment, even though the large items all still remain! I did make a start on a couple though. Whew.

I continue to be absolutely smitten with my yarn and bead combination for shawl number 3 (yet to be named). The color in this post is much more accurate, although still not quite as stunning as in person!

I keep stopping and staring at it, turning it over slowly so the beads will catch the light just so.

The yarn is Enya sock from Saffron Dyeworks in the New Moon colorway. In my opinion, having seen them both, the color is every bit as saturated and delicious as the famous Wollmeise sock yarns. Delectable.

And although I love green with a passion, I have to admit that my very favorite color is the deep greenish teal (there! green again!) that the sky turns in the west as twilight fades to dark in the summertime. This yarn has streaks of the exact perfect color. I don't know how she captured it!

(In this picture you can see the coil-less safety pin I added to keep track of the correct side.)

And the beads. The beads are just sparkly enough, but not too sparkly. :happysigh: I love it when things come together properly. :)

Oh, hey! I promised a sketch of the shape, didn't I?

It wraps nicely around your shoulders!

In other news, #1 Son thanks you for your kind birthday wishes. Yesterday was lovely for him, full of reading, swimming, and cupcakes.

Perfect!

Long day

7 Small Shawls: T - 203 days and counting down.

It was a very long day today. Good, but long. #1 Son seems to be getting back to being his old swimming self, and it's so wonderful to see him cocky again! Knitting did happen, but it was on a stealth project. It was over 90 degrees out there and I am totally whipped! Thankfully I am back inside and we have AC. That and a shower has made me feel human again. :)

Going off to put my feet up now! Tomorrow is supposed to be even hotter. :whimper:

Swimmin'!

7 Small Shawls: T - 210 days and counting down.

Today was a Banner Day. A Red Letter Day. A Day of Days.

#1 Son has been suffering a crisis of confidence in his swimming. He's been psyching himself out at meets. You have to realize that he was, until this year, a cocky and confident kid. And then something changed, and we have tried everything. Everything to bring back his confidence, but he's just slipped and slid and not believed. Until today. It was agony watching him in his first three events at the little afternoon meet. And at the end, as he was about to go over to the starting blocks for his last event, I asked him to please swim his best. I told him I don't get to see him every day at practice like his Dad does. I see him mostly at meets, and he hasn't been swimming well. I said that I wanted to see him swim like he can swim, because honestly? He is a thing of beauty. He smiled, and said ok. And then he went out there and he did it! It was so beautiful. And I was so proud of him. And he was so happy! He took more than three seconds off his time, but it wouldn't have mattered if he hadn't. He's back again. And I couldn't be happier.

Back in knitting news: today, I don't have pics, because I worked mostly on a secret project. But I also worked out the edging for Maia, and I'm swatching it right now. I think you'll like it.

This, that, and the other thing

7 Small Shawls: T - 215 days and counting down. Last day to purchase at lower price of $16! When I release Merope on June 1st, the price of the eBook will be re-set at $20. (There will still a few hours on June 1st morning day before I release the pattern, I'm sure, to purchase for $16).

We spent a quiet Memorial Day today, with those who have made the ultimate sacrifice on our minds.

#1 Son made blueberry pancakes and then we finally got down to planting our tomatoes. I always try so hard to get them in the ground earlier! But April and May are full of activities: swim meets, last minute school work, the Fair.... And this year it rained and rained. So today we set about to getting them in the ground.

We're very lucky, I know, that the growing season lasts a long time in this area. Usually, we are still getting tomatoes into October. So I'm crossing all my fingers!

I've been talking and talking about the fair, I know, and haven't had any pics up at all. Well, here's #1 Son and his market rabbit project.

And Bear with his show rabbit, Pepper, a Himalayan.

#1 Son has a show rabbit (Dart - a Rhinelander), as well. They're great bunnies.

The market rabbits are auctioned off at the end of the fair, which I think has been more difficult for me than #1 Son, although he doesn't always show all his feelings on the matter. All I can say is this: at one point in my life, I was able to order rabbit in a restaurant and enjoy it. Now, the very thought of it makes me ill. Our show bunnies, Dart and Pepper, and Diva the house rabbit are permanent fixtures. Thankfully, the meat rabbit breeds do not tend to have as much personality and intelligence as the breeding (show) rabbits. But still....

No knitting has been done today at all. It was sacrificed for a much needed nap. But I do have some nice eye candy from Zen Yarn Garden. This is 14k

and this is Margarita.

YUM! I'm planning on using 14k in the eBook. Margarita is going to be a different design. Maybe I should do an ebook in green, eh?! ;) Roxanne calls this lace yarn, but it isn't lace weight yarn. It's really a light sock weight yarn - much heavier than her other lace yarn. Yummy and perfect for my book. :)

Well, I'm off to format the rest of my first pattern release for 7 Small Shawls. I'm excited for you all to have it. :)