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AuburnChick Turns A Year Older

Posted on March 29, 2008 by auburnchick

Today, I turned 38. What a great day I’m having too!

We’re at a soccer tournament, which is fitting given that almost everything I do is for my children (except the knitting, which they do not appreciate at all). On our way here yesterday, we stopped very briefly to meet my sister. Look at what she gave me…

This is a name plaque thingy for my desk! I had to crop the right side of the picture because it has my last name on it, and I have to be careful, you know. This gift really touched my heart because y’all know that I just finished college. I am working on passing my state exams so I can have my own classes in the fall. Hence, the apple motif. I love my sister.

While driving in last night, I noticed a Michael’s just down the road from the hotel. What luck! I live in a relatively small place, so every time we go somewhere, I always sniff out yarn stores or any other place that might carry stuff I’ve never seen “in real life” before.

I got up early and made it to the store right after they opened. They had a pretty good selection. I picked up a few items…

Can you see the Lion Brand “Cupcake” in there? I don’t think I’ve seen this before! I picked up a little extra to send along with the Oddball Baby Blankets I’ve been working on. It’s so much fun to get little surprises from the previous knitter. Not that it’s required, but what fun to send stuff too!!!

When I got back to the hotel, here’s what I found waiting for me…

My daughter had set up everything. My son was still in bed asleep…dead to the world.

The bear is blue (for Aquamarine — March’s birthstone). Mr. AuburnChick had purchased it on the sly at M&M World in Las Vegas. The Kohl’s card is loaded with $50! Yippee!!! And the notes…well, they are the work of my daughter and her best friend, otherwise known as AuburnChick’s Daughter #2. I had to cut off the bottom of the picture because some of the girls on the team had signed it. AuburnChick is protective of her girls.

But the picture! Ha, ha, ha! If you look closely to the right, you’ll see the head of a person. The person is pushing a walker…down the hill of life. 😀

Here’s a close-up of the other picture specially drawn for your’s truly…

Apparently, the girls think they have a sense of humor. I think it comes from their fathers.

Then, we went to the game, and the team won! Yippee!

We went out for lunch afterwards, and guess what store happened to be in the plaza? Joann Fabrics. Well, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity, even though the one by my house kind of stinks, so I was doubting that the store would have much. My store is small, and the yarn selection is quite pitiful.

Not so this store! This was the most ginormous (is that a word? who cares) Joann’s I’ve ever seen! Oh my gosh! I would have taken a picture, but I’ve had a hard time getting pictures off of my camera phone (see previous post). Take my word for it.

Here’s what I found there…

I will use the Microspun for the Oddball Preemie Blankets. My real find, though, was the self-striping Sugar ‘n Cream! Oh my gosh!!! I bought a few extra to send along with the blankets. Hubby was NOT amused.

I guess I’ve officially become a stashie.

So folks, AuburnChick is having a great day! It can be fun turning a year older!!

Filed under: Knitting, This-n-That | Tagged: , , | 6 Comments »

Greenaway Fingerless Gloves!

Posted on March 27, 2008 by auburnchick

What a great project! I’ve been in love with these Greenaway Fingerless Gloves since I found the pattern for my Winter Wonderland swap partner. Of course, I couldn’t afford the yarn the pattern calls for…until it went on sale a few weeks ago. I got this yarn from purlsoho.com and only paid $15! That was 40% off!!!! In fact, the yarn is still on sale…I just looked.

I’m so glad I waited for the yarn to go on sale. I’m pretty bad at substituting yarn, so I usually buy what the pattern calls for.

It is Alchemy Sanctuary (30% silk, 70% wool). The colorway is Spruce. It is so soft and easy to work with. Wow! What a joy.

I have never made gloves of any kind, so the thumb gusset had me nervous. As someone on KH always says…”Trust the pattern.” I did, and only made one boo-boo. I only cast off nine of the 10 stitches for the gusset. It’s a wee bit snug. I figured this out when I made the second glove (the right way). Oh well.

If you look real closely, you might be able to see the eyelet row right below the bind off (below the knuckles).

Ok…on to the pictures!

I have already started my next project. I’m making a Cash Vero Cabled Tam. It is a pattern I got from Gail Knits, the big yarn store in Las Vegas. I might have it done in time to wear it to my daughter’s early soccer game on Sunday! We’ll see.

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , | 4 Comments »

AuburnChick is a Photographer!

Posted on March 26, 2008 by auburnchick

I started working on my Greenaway Fingerless Gloves last night. I even completed the first one, but I decided not to post a picture until I’ve finished the second one.

So, not wanting to disappoint my faithful readers, I pondered about what to post today. I have a picture I want to share. It’s on my phone, though. Of course, when I bought my Macbook Pro, the phone software was not compatible. Go figure. I love the Mac…I’m just starting to stare down my phone (I can’t wait until November…contract will be up, and I will get a new phone!).

Anyhow…I turned into computer techno mode.

My children cringe when I get “In the Zone.” You know what I’m talking about…blank stare straight ahead, not really hearing what they are saying.

“Hey, Mama…I’m going out drinking with the guys.”

“Have a good time,” you say to your 13 year old.

So, I was “In the Zone.” I must figure out a way to get these pictures off of my phone. No longer do I want one picture. Oh no…I want them ALL.

I tried using my daughter’s laptop first, feeling pressured because:

a) She does not like letting me “borrow” her computer even though I am the person who fixes it every time something goes wrong,

b) Same daughter keeps peering around the screen and asking, “What are you doing now? Are you being your nosy self and reading my email?”

She’s clearly forgotten that I’m “In the Zone.” She could be planning a rendevous with Prince William for all I know or care at the moment.

The pressure was too much. I decided to use my son’s laptop instead. Daughter nearly tore her computer out of my hands in her desperation to get her prized possession back.

I connected the phone and laptop, and the driver installed. Good so far. Nope…not really. I can’t get the computer to read my phone. Rats. Fortunately, I had long ago installed a little program called BitPim. It’s useful for grabbing stuff off of your phone. You can even use it to install your own ringtones. I’ve done this. Trust me…I’m a computer geek at heart.

But the program wasn’t cooperating. I sink further into “The Zone.”

“Mama, what’s for dinner?”

“You mean you’re not done growing yet? I thought after the age of 10 I didn’t have to feed you anymore.”

Daughter warmed up leftovers.

I start clicking buttons now…out of a sense of frustration. I have no idea how, but all of a sudden I got a green light. This means that the phone is connected! I’ve always heard that God is merciful. Well, okay, I’ve experienced His mercy many times, but it is nice to be reminded that He sees you in all your pain. Yes, even the pain of a frustrated, self-taught computer geek who only wants to grab a few pictures (correction…ALL the pictures) from her phone. Nothing major, you know.

Here are a few of the better ones…

This is the cake that one of my co-workers made for me. My birthday is coming up, and my office has a monthly celebration. A neat tidbit is that I was born on Easter Sunday (just in case you are ever a contestant on Jeopardy, and Alex asks you this question).

I made the next two pictures a little bigger so you can see better.

This picture is Pele, my daughter’s dog. He always stretches out and gets comfortable. He’s not shy, as you can see…baring his entire 70lb+ body…

The next picture is one you’ll have to look at real closely. That’s my Molly. There was a bone on the counter, and you better believe that she knew it was there. The dogs had been taking turns climbing on the couch and trying to figure out if their bodies were long enough to reach it. You could see the wheels in their brains turning. These are, after all, AuburnChick’s dogs. They ain’t dumb.

Sometimes, I like to take the dogs with me when I pick up my daughter from school. Imagine three not-small dogs in a Jeep. Should be cute, right? It is, until all of the high schoolers start walking out. Then the dogs start barking like crazy. My daughter is not amused.

This is Aubie — best dog in the world. She is so good…you just have no idea. She’s the oldest. You can talk to her like she’s a regular person. She LOVES going for rides!

Pele likes riding…to a point. He’s the whiner in the bunch. He’s the biggest baby you’ll ever see. But he’s so big that you just want to carry him around like a teddy bear.

And here’s Molly. This picture makes her look like the rascal that she is. She’s the child you have when you’re 40 and thought you were done. Yep…she’s my wild-child, but we just adore her.

And the last picture…well, it really is random. This is a dessert that I got when we went to San Diego for Thanksgiving.

Why in the world would I take a picture of food? People…it’s CHOCOLATE! It was so delicate and pretty. I had to share it. It looks like something from a TV food show. It was delicious too.

So, that’s it for now. I hope to have my other glove done tomorrow so I can post pictures!

Filed under: Pets, This-n-That | Tagged: , , , , , | 4 Comments »

2-at-a-time Socks!

Posted on March 23, 2008 by auburnchick

Easter Sunday was a good day. Of course, I started the day by attending church with my family. I loved the sermon this morning. It went beyond the traditional Easter message and really challenged believers to heed Jesus’ call to serve Him. Very thought-provoking…

Here is a picture of the flowers I picked up yesterday while grocery shopping. They are so bright and cheery. They reminded me of Easter and God’s promise of new life in Him.

Since Lent was officially over, I treated myself to a small amount of chocolate and a caffeine-free Coke. Yum!

Sundays are, in our family, a day of rest. I try really hard not to make my children do chores and try to refrain from them myself. So, I spent most of the day knitting. I finally finished my 2-at-a-time, Magic Loop socks.

I used Trampoline Stretch yarn by Skacel. The colorway is #229. It is a wool/nylon blend. I chose the color because it reminded me of tigers. Since I’m an Auburn fan, I figured this was appropriate. They are a great fit!

I used the Varsity pattern from the 2-at-a-time socks book (author is Melissa Morgan-Oakes). The pattern is supposed to be for striped socks, but I used it because of the ribbing. It seemed simple for my first pair of magic loop socks. Turns out that AuburnChick can follow directions! It helps that this book has pictures!

The socks really did not take me too long to knit. I had several breaks in this project because I’ve been working on Oddball Baby Blankets with the group on Knitting Help. Here’s a picture of the last couple of blankets I’ve had the privilege of working on:

This is Angel Wings. I used Caron Simply Soft, colorway Baby Bright Ombre. The yarn was rough, which was surprising. I’ve used this brand before and found it a pleasure to work with. I will not knit with this colorway again, if I can help it. I sent it back to the organizer of the project. Since I was the last knitter, all she needs to do is add a border! Then it’s off to the gal who is taking all of our blankets to a certain hospital.

The next picture is the Neon Fun Oddball Blanket. I used Caron Simply Soft. The colorway is Mango. I love this yarn! It’s so soft, and the color is fabulous! I opted for a simple stitch…twisted stockinette.

My next project will be the Greenaway Fingerless Gloves! I am so excited!!!

Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments »

Sasquatch

Posted on March 21, 2008 by auburnchick

Who is this Sasquatch, you ask. Well, it’s me…AuburnChick. Why would I equate myself with a hairy beast? Allow me to explain.

You see, dear readers, I cannot remember the last time I shaved my legs. This morning, I decided, for some odd reason, that it was time to get rid of the Sasquatch legs.

Ewww…gross…you’re probably thinking, right? Yeah, that’s what my daughter has been thinking all winter.

Here’s the thing. Why, if you’re not wearing a skirt or shorts, do you need to shave? My legs have been covered up since November. If nobody’s going to see them, who cares, right?

I’ve looked for a verse in the Bible that states that women must shave their legs. I haven’t found it. Granted, women are told to take care of themselves, but did women of old shave their legs? Somehow, I doubt it.

I also have to wonder…why did God give our bodies the ability to grow hair on our legs?  What is the purpose?  Surely it was not aesthetic.  Perhaps for warmth?  I mean, animals have hair all over, and they look quite comfy to me.

Besides all of that, I’m French. I get it naturally.

But I will say, lately my unshaven ankles have been bothering me. I was sitting in a meeting the other day, and I happened to look down and saw hair protruding from my pants’ legs. Uh oh…that is kind of gross. When your leg hair is long enough that it drags behind you when you walk, it’s time to pull out the razor.

So, that’s what I did this morning while in the shower. It took me three shavings to get the first leg done. Pretty bad, eh?

And then…I dropped the razor. The blade came off the top. It’s not a disposable, but it looked like I could put it back together. I snapped the blade on and proceeded to begin work on the second leg. Nothing. Uh oh. I tried again, mashing the razor really hard against my leg. Nothing.

That stupid razor was broken.

Great.

What can a girl do? I am, at this moment, looking at my legs, clad in blue jeans, with hair peeking out of the bottom of one leg. The other is smooth as a baby’s bottom. Lovely. Good thing the drivers license place only takes pictures from the shoulders-up.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Murphy’s Law

Posted on March 19, 2008 by auburnchick

I started to title this post “She’s So Vain.” Cue up Carly Simon’s song and change the pronoun. Allow me to explain why…

Today was a good day for me. I woke up early to attend special church services. The kids went too. What a great way to start the day.  My church is conducting early services that start at 6:15 to allow the high schoolers to attend.  There were quite a few in attendance today.  We eat breakfast afterward and proceed with our day.

A bonus was that, despite the early hour, my hair cooperated with my brush. For some reason, I decided to dress nicely, and my makeup looked good too. How lucky can I get?!

After I got to work, I remembered that I needed to make an appointment to renew my driver’s license. What a perfect day for it. I looked nice…professional even. I was able to get an early appointment. This was meant to be.

Now, a couple of details…

I work part-time, leaving in time to pick up my daughter from school each day. Despite the fact that I had been gone on Monday and the other fact that my office will be closed on Friday, I figured my boss would understand. She’s been great about my schedule thus far. So I sent her an email…

“Dearest, Sweetest Boss, I need to get my license renewed, so I’ll be leaving at 12:00 today. Sincerely, your hardest working employee, AuburnChick.” (ok…maybe I didn’t sound so syrupy sweet, but you get my point.)

Her response:

“Can you change the appointment until next week? You’ve been gone, and it’s a short week.”

Hmmm…I really do not want to tell her the real reason why I’m being so stubborn. I try another tactic, which borders on desperation.

“Dear efficient boss, you are so right, but you see…the security officer at the airport kindly saved my behind by reminding me that this has to be done ASAP. So if it’s all the same, I’ll keep my appointment.”

To which she responded:

“Dearest employee with the most flexible schedule, if you can change it, I’ll appreciate it. You do, after all, have until next week to get ‘er done.”

Rats. She knows my birthdate. This ain’t her first rodeo. So, I swallow my pride and try yet another tactic…honesty…

“Dearest, kindliest boss who is the most professional supervisor I know…yes, I could change my appointment, but I must confess…I am vain. My hair and face are actually presentable today. I have no zits on my face, my eyeliner went on straight, and my hair doesn’t look like I stuck my finger in a socket. I’m really tired of cashiers making fun of my current drivers license. How would you feel if someone grabbed your license and called over fellow workers to get a laugh…at your expense?”

I could almost hear her laughing from her floor. She acquiesced.

But, knowing me, the story doesn’t end here. Oh no…that would be too easy…

I make my way home to grab my identification paperwork. All of a sudden, it starts pouring! Here’s what it looked like from my garage:

Great. This is not what a naturally curly headed female wants to see as she prepares to take a picture.

I proceed to make my way to the DMV, still dressed to the nine’s in my suede heels, knee length jacket, fancy blouse and jewelry to match.

When I get there, I can see there’s nobody in line. Yippee!

But wait. There’s a note on the door. It says:

“Dear AuburnChick. As soon as you made your appointment, our computers decided that they couldn’t handle your beauty, so they shut down. You are going to have to come back when you look like your ratty old self.”

Great. All dressed up and no evidence to prove it.

Murphy’s Law at its best.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Leaving Las Vegas

Posted on March 17, 2008 by auburnchick

Well, the fun had to end sometime, didn’t it? One cannot live the life of luxury and buy yarn every day, right? Only if you’re Paris Hilton. Imagine that — Paris in a yarn store…Paris, knitting.

First things first…

My daughter’s team did not finish up as strongly as it started. They lost the next two games, but only by one goal. Not bad considering that they played Colorado and Oregon’s state champs. It’s not always about winning but about the journey. The team begins its quest for a state championship in a couple of weeks. Fortunately, we won’t be flying across the country. One can’t always life like the rich and famous.

On Sunday, we started our day very early. So much for sleeping late on vacation. I arose at 5am. We had to be at the fields at 7am. It was raining, and the wind was blowing like it does when a hurricane is coming. From what I was told, this is normal for Las Vegas. Not the rain, but the wind. It felt like it was about 20 degrees. Here’s a picture of what it looked like on our way to the fields…

I prayed the entire way, and the rain stopped before the girls started warm-up. Here’s what it looked like after the game was over (notice the snow…it wasn’t there the day before)…

The girls played a hard game, and then we returned to the hotel for hot showers and a bit of down time. Our plane was not scheduled to take off until 10:45pm.

After checking out of the hotel, we made our way to the Strip. My son wanted to ride the roller coaster, and I wanted to check out the lions at MGM. We parked at Caesar’s Palace and met some friends at the mall inside of the hotel.

Oh — my — goodness! Caesar’s Palace Mall is something to behold! I’ve never seen anything quite like it! All three levels were filled with high-end stores I’ve only seen ads for in magazines. Look at some of the pictures I took inside…

I made the following picture bigger so you could see the detailing on the ceiling.

The Trojan Horse stands outside of FAO Schwartz…

We could have spent a couple of days at the mall, but we were on a tight schedule, so we ventured out to the street level. To get there, we had to walk through the casino. It was like something you see on TV. Wow! The outfits on the female dealers…the enormous atrium. Unbelievable!

We hoofed it on the street, making our way to M&M World.

Look at all of the M&M’s! Have you ever seen anything so amazingly delicious (other than the yarn I posted pictures of earlier)?!

At $9/lb, I decided not to purchase any. Write this day on the calendar. AuburnChick did not buy chocolate!

We went to MGM next, but the hotel was doing maintenance on the lion cage, so we proceeded on to the roller coaster at New York New York. Wow! It was scary, and I screamed as if someone had stolen my new stash. You could have heard me all over the city.

After the ride, we took a look at our watches and realized that we had been too ambitious. We literally ran back to Caesar’s Palace, where we had parked our car. On the way, we passed the Excalibur hotel. My dh stayed there many years ago, when our daughter was a tiny thing.

We passed the Bellagio…all lit up. It’s so beautiful at night!

We made it to the car in record time. I’ll venture to bet that you’ve never seen a 30-something year old woman walk as fast as I did. My poor daughter had sore legs from her game, but she kept up the best she could.

Here are some pictures of the Strip lit up at night. I took these on our way to the airport.

We made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare. Once I stopped walking, I became aware that perhaps I had pushed my body too far. My hips, knees, and feet were screaming at me. But that’s okay. I had led my family well.

Filed under: Vacation | Tagged: | 2 Comments »

AuburnChick Wins the Jackpot

Posted on March 15, 2008 by auburnchick

Folks, Las Vegas has redeemed herself in AuburnChick’s eyes!

No, I didn’t win at the slot machines. Nothing as exciting as that (winning money is always a thrill, eh?). I won a jackpot of a different kind. But more on that later.

First of all, I feel the need to apologize. My previous post was a bit negative. I have learned that you should never blog when you’re tired and, hence, grumpy. Apparently, waking up at 3:30 in the morning and then flying across country, changing time zones three times, can leave one a bit less than 100%. I think that the fatigue, combined with the bright lights and noise of the slot machines, left me feeling overwhelmed. Plus, I was a bit disappointed with the hotel. Hence, my less-than-impressive first impression.

It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep can do for you. Friday, I woke up bright-eyed and busy-tailed, ready to take on this town. I had already found a couple of knitting stores through MapMuse.com. I had called Wooly Wonders the afternoon before to ensure they had the good yarn. My original plan was to visit this store because it was close to the hotel. However, I got up so early that I was eager to get started on my adventure. So, I decided to brave the road, and I headed for the other store, which was further away. Boy am I glad I did!

Warning: The following pictures are not for the faint of heart.

But first…pictures of my trip there. Look at the car we rented! I like this car! I felt sporty, like a hot young mama (one can have their delusions…it is Vegas, after all!).

Here’s the view I had as I drove:

I was thrilled to find two good Christian radio channels. I was singing, enjoying the scenery, and anticipating what was to come. Would my expectations be met???

Here’s the first store I went to — Gail Knits.

What a fabulous store!!! The outside is very deceptive. Here’s what I saw when I entered…

I thought I’d died and gone to heaven! I felt like a two-year old at Disney World! A gal came up and asked if she could help me. I could barely talk, blubbering like some crazy lady. I slowed down and calmly explained that I was AuburnChick from Podunk, U.S.A., and that I had never seen such a marvelous array of yarn before! She invited me to pet the yarn. I did the mad dash. However, she tried to explain all about how some of the yarns were spun, etc.

“Lady,” I wanted to say, “Let me be…not enough time and so much to see.” But I didn’t. I politely listened until she saw the glazed look in my eyes and wandered off, allowing me the freedom to wander. What a marvelous, stupendous place! I saw yarns I’d only seen online. Cascade, Tofutsies, Rowan…I could go on and on…

Now, here’s where the practical side of me came out. If I’m going to buy yarn, I must know what I’m going to make. So undecided…I finally called over another lady, who wound up being the owner. She chuckled at my enthusiasm and patiently answered all of my questions. I’m sure I must have sounded and acted like the country bumpkin I am. I was overwhelmed, but this time the words “cheesy” do not come to mind. Glorious is more like it.

So, on to the good stuff. Here’s what I walked out with.

Bamboo!!! Oh my! I’ve heard about the stuff but have never touched it! It is some of the softest stuff I’ve ever had the privilege of touching.

I’m going to make the Bamboo Lacy Jacket. It’s an in-house pattern.

This is some Cascade yarn. It’s green. The picture does not do it justice. I’m going to make a beret to match the fingerless gloves in my queue.

This is more Cascade yarn. Sorry I can’t be more specific on the color, but I’m sitting on the soccer field as I type this. I think I’m going to make a hat out of this as well.

Here are a couple of skeins of Tofutsies.

A funny story…I was eyeing the bamboo and the three skeins of Tofutsies on the shelves. There wasn’t enough of the bamboo for the project, so I was debating whether or not to purchase it. Plus, Gail didn’t have a color of Tofutsies that I liked. However, I stayed so long that she got in a delivery. You guessed it…more bamboo and Tofutsies yarn. I heard God speak…”Nathalie, this yarn was meant for you…” <giggle>

So, I walked out of the store quite a bit poorer but floating on air. What a great start to the day! But the day was only just beginning…

I decided I had spent enough money, and I proceeded to head back toward the hotel. Conveniently, the Las Vegas Strip was on my way. Having missed the fun the night before, I decided to take a drive. Here are the photos I took, from the window of my car. I have to say that the strip is impressive. It’s amazing how big and ornate these hotels are.

So, after driving down the strip, I realized that I still had plenty of time before I had to go the soccer fields. Mustn’t let an opportunity like this go to waste. I punched the address to Wooly Wonders into the GPS.

What a find! The yarn selection was not as big as Gail Knits, but it was a cozy place with the nicest gals!

Here’s what I bought at this store…

Noro, for a friend. I’m going to make her a booga bag.

I can’t remember the name of this yarn, but it’s just gorgeous! It’s deep blue with a hint of purple in it. I’m going to make a shawl/wrap thing from a lace book I purchased at the store.

Here’s some reading material for the plane.

Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the soccer aspect of this trip. Just look at these gorgeous fields…

The mountains provide a backdrop that is simple awe-inspiring. God’s handiwork is something to behold.

Here’s a picture of “Stitch,” a dog that someone on another team brought to the game. I’m throwing it in cause I thought you might enjoy it.

The girls won their game, beating the Nevada state champs! We’re playing the #2 team from California (my hands are freezing as I type this), and we’ll play the Colorado state champs this afternoon. Wish us luck!

Filed under: Knitting, Vacation | Tagged: , , , , , , | 6 Comments »

AuburnChick Knits At 38,000 Feet

Posted on March 13, 2008 by auburnchick

Well, we are officially in Las Vegas!

Our trip got off to a good start, even though we had to be at the airport at o’dark-thirty, as we’re fond of calling any hour before daybreak. I don’t know how I’ve managed to keep my eyes open given the long day (and it ain’t even over yet!). I’m so glad I packed my knitting stuff last night! And boy did I pack. I had to take my laptop, of course. Wouldn’t want to let my faithful readers (or should I say reader, as in singular?) down. But the yarn…what to take??? What projects do I think I’ll actually get to??? I was conservative. I only took three…no make that four…skeins of yarn. But I had to take all of my needles…my entire KnitPicks case, in fact. My laptop bag must have weighed 50 lbs!

So, we took off in the dark on a teeny, tiny plane. Row 7 was almost to the back. Here’s a photo I took looking out our window:

What a pretty view!

Now, I must say a few good words about the flight (second leg, I mean). We flew Delta, and when we got on, one of the attendants explained that the plan had just been renovated. Every seat had its own TV. We were able to watch satellite TV channels and movies. We could control the music, lights, and attendant light via the touch screen. Now, to be fair, the movies cost extra, as did the headphones, but the headphones were good ones…not the ear buds that hurt.

The food was delicious, although you did have to pay for the meals (which you ordered from a nice selection on a professional menu). Peanuts and crackers were free, as were non-alcoholic drinks. The plane was huge too! Seats were comfy, and there was a bit more leg room than the other planes we’ve been on recently.

Oh, and just so you know, I’m receiving no compensation for the above endorsement. Rats…

Despite the fact that I had to get up so early, I didn’t want to waste any precious knitting time. Here’s what I finished on the first leg of our journey…which lasted all of 35 minutes (as you know, every flight must go through Atlanta):

I used I Love This Yarn, and the color is Red. I really like the pattern. It’s called Basket Rib I from the knit & purl book.

We had a three-hour layover, so I actually did some work (as in $$ work). But I had my needles in my hand as we boarded plane #2. Here’s what I knit up during the second leg of our trip:

Same yarn as the other one. The pattern is called Vertical Bar Lines from the same book. I wasn’t sure if I was going to like it at first, but the more I knit, the more it grows on me. Here’s a close-up:

These squares will be sent to a gal on KH for the NIU Charity Blanket KAL. I’m going to try to get a few more squares done before I leave.

My impressions, thus far, of Vegas…

What a shock! I was surprised to find slot machines right in the airport…as soon as we got off the plane!!!! The lobby was lit up like the strip too! Wow! Granted, I’ve lived in big cities before. In fact, I lived in Miami for two years and ventured (albeit bravely) over to South Beach and Coral Gables a few times. But this was different! This city is definitely a money machine.

We’re not staying at one of the bigger hotels. No MGM Grand for us. We’re just soccer fanatics…not wealthy enough to stay at such fancy places. But, our hotel does have a casino in it. When we arrived, we had to walk through the casino to get to the reservations desk. I miss Florida’s “No Smoking law.” Why, oh why, do they have you walk through a smoke-filled haze just to get to your rooms?

Money.

When you have allergies, like my family, this isn’t good. Oh well. And I felt sorry for the cocktail waitresses. Everything just seems kind of cheesy. Not at all what I expected. I guess I’ve been somewhat sheltered. I kind of like that.

That said, the scenery (as in outside landscape) is beautiful. Wow! The mountains are gorgeous! I can’t wait to see what the soccer fields are like!

Yep…I guess this is proof positive that I’ve gotten older…when I can’t wait to see the soccer fields instead of the casino. Or maybe it’s not that I’m older…maybe just wiser.

P.S. I’ve already mapped my way to the nearest yarn store. In fact, I even called them first:

“Hello, this is country bumpkin from Hicktown, U.S.A. What kind of yarn do you sell?”

I’m praying they don’t say the standard Bernat, Lion Brand, or any other yarn that I can find at Michaels or Hobby Lobby, which are the only stores I have at home.

“We carry Cascade, Noro…”

“Say no more…I’ll see you tomorrow.”

AuburnChick is going shopping!

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AuburnChick is Headed to Vegas!

Posted on March 12, 2008 by auburnchick

“She’s leaving on a jet plane…”

AuburnChick’s family is headed to Vegas!!!!

What would possess a woman to wake up her family at the cheery hour of 3:30am to catch a 6am flight? Are the glitzy lights and siren calls of the slot machines drawing AuburnChick out West?

Alas…no…it is none of the above.

The reason for the cross-country trip is a white ball on a green field. It’s a little game affectionately known as “futbol,” or in America, “soccer.”

AuburnChick’s daughter plays soccer on a team that travels all over the place. AuburnChick’s son thinks this is great! He gets out of school for two days, and he gets to visit neat places.

AuburnChick is excited because, not only does she get to see her daughter play amazing soccer, but she gets to visit yarn stores! What other person flies across the country and visits yarn stores? A dedicated knitter, that’s who.

Actually, it’s a desperate knitter who does not have a yarn store in her own city. Please, please, let them have Mmmmmmalabrigo. AuburnChick has heard so much about this yarn! She wants to see it for herself!!!

AuburnChick is off to bed now…dreaming about knitting needles, yarn, and patterns! Ain’t life grand!

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