Look at what I have, pictures of the first RPM sock:


She is lovely, is she not? I have had such a horrible case of second sock syndrome on the other one. I have cast on about 7 times. Each of the six previous attempts ended up in my screwing something up somewhere. This morning on the train I seem to have rediscovered my mojo, I'm sure the Motley Crue blaring in my ears helped a great deal. Nothing like a little Too Fast for Love to get your head on straight!

It's been a rough week and it's only Wednesday. Although if we're being honest only Monday was tough. In a nutshell, Rinaldo left for a conference in Denver, Ian was home sick, my mother in law had 3 appointments that morning so got to my house fairly late. I decided to try to get to work anyway but not before attempting to visit the bus depot where Ian's lunchbox that my mother in law left on the bus last week was supposed to be residing. Took a bus and a train to get there,in the rain, no lunchbox. Go back to the train, no trains running due to flooding. Leave the train head down the stairs. Get close to the bottom, slip and fall down the remaining steps, bust my ass. Call Tisha, hysterical ,tell her I'm done, I'm going home.

I'm bruised and battered. I can't sit back against my chair and I have to sleep on my stomach. Otherwise I'm fine. We're doing ok with Rinaldo gone, I've got a bit of a system going and it's working so far. I'm off tomorrow to do some sharing in Ian's class for their project on families. Then Friday Rinaldo's back. Ian's been a bit weepy when I drop him off at school but he's been a trouper for the most part. Oh yeah and I have the PTA knitting class tomorrow night and have yet to finish my square. Of course I had lost it for a few days so that didn't help, but I found it last night and it's about half way done.

I had Rinaldo take a picture of me on Sunday in the Calio-Thing for Kathleen but I wasn't crazy about it. Much like those of us who shave our legs for the blog readers I felt you needed me to have on some eyeliner and mascara so I made Tisha take a few shots this morning:



...and the side:


The lighting in our office sucks and I probably should have taken off my glasses but they're new and I like showing them off ;)

I love the damn thing and it occured to me this morning that it makes a lovely teacher gift for the end of the year. I guess I should get the blog for the Love Thy Teacher knitalong going again. The end of the years will be here before we know it.

Happy Wednesday all...

I appreciate all the feedback on my Philly post. It would seem I have to go back, perhaps with a tour guide! For a different take on Philadelphia read the post that Bakerina pimps in her comment. As I was reading it, I was struck by how simliar a love letter I could write to the Bronx. Every city has it's beauty and ugliness, true love is when you can honestly say you love it for both.

I finished calorimetry (which for the life of me I cannot say out loud) on Saturday:

I've grown rather attached to it. It's very comfortable and keeps my hair in check and my ears warm. The pattern is a breeze and it (obviously) knits up very quickly.

On Sunday I decided to start on the baby presents I need to make. One of Ian's teachers is pregnant and one of Avery's is as well. I cast on for the baby kimono from Mason Dixon Knitting:


It went along really fast. I finished the left side at Knitting Group on Tuesday. Which was a blast by the way. My friend Tisha came. Chante and I were actually there at the same time and she brought her friend Shameka who is also a blogger. I worked on the kimono sporadically the next two days and amazingly I finished it last night:

The construction of it is kind of cool, it's all one piece:

I'm not a huge garter stitch fan but I like the way this came out. I may try the second one in stockinette.

Just so you can see where my head is at the moment. I have yet to finish my square which is the homework for the knitting class I am teaching.



If the teacher doesn't get the homework done, do the students have any hope at all?

Have a great weekend!

The knitting class went ok. Only three parents showed up and I knew them all. In fact two of them actually already know how to knit. They just want to improve their skills. I like to worry about stuff needlessly, it makes me feel more alive;) I got them started on squares for Warm Up America. I figure it's always better to have a goal in mind and while I usually like to start people on washcloths I suspect the PTA appreciated making it a charitable event. I felt bad for the woman who came to teach crochet, no one was there for it. The scrapbooking table looked a bit busy though.

I've been working on the RPM sock but not as much as I would have liked. I'm only on the final repeat today. It will be done this weekend I'm sure but the recipient's birthday is Friday so I need to get my ass in gear if I plan on giving a completed pair.

I meant to have home renovation shots for you today but I never did get around to taking them. Maybe on Monday. I only really post them for Ann anyway, I know how home improvement excites her.

Next week the boys are off. So far the only plans we have for them are Go Diego Go Live for Ian and a trip to Philly to see the boy king for Avery (ok, ok really for me too). Rinaldo and I actually work all week so it looks like they'll mostly be stuck at home. Poor Grandma...

Have a great weekend!