Thaw

This past weekend was one of those spectacular weekends that make you happy to Be.

Friday evening I met a friend and went for a brisk walk around Shaker Lakes, enjoying the extra light at the end of the day and taking advantage of house-sitting on the east side. I spent the evening teaching myself how to knit a pair of knee socks from the toe up, 2 at a time.

Saturday I drove to Lorain to get the paperwork dealt with for the Javelin, the title is now in my name and I secured the license plate for the trailer.
While my parents were off looking at model trains in Cleveland, I was in their backyard on a ladder trimming back the grapevines on the arbor, cleaning leaves out of the gutters and generally tidying up the backyard for spring.

I got a call while I was on the ladder and fighting a particularly difficult bit of vine. I described my current status as "Manifesting my dominance over nature." - I was immediately smacked in the face by the vine who let me know, in no uncertain terms, that regardless of my shears, I was not the one in control. Even wrapping up the vines into neat and tidy bundles with twine was highly satisfying and put a spring into my step.

A walk to Lakeview Beach was lovely, but after I happened upon a half a deer washed up on shore, I decided to head back to Cleveland as I did not care to be reminded that not everything revealed by the thaw is charming.

I stopped at two knit shops on my way back - considered the materials and practiced enough self-control to not buy anything new.

I ended my day at Laura-friend's, knitting and eating sushi - and doing my best not to reveal that her upcoming birthday trip to "Chicago" was actually going to be a trip to Paris... she knows now, so I can stop fidgeting. I left with oodles more de-stashed yarn and the idea to stripe my socks - which means I'm now working with 4 balls of yarn on 1 pair of needles.

Sunday was going to be a trip out to my uncle's to get the boat and clean it - but the earth is too spongy yet, so I stayed in town and left ruts unmade.

I made my way to the Physicist's where we played in the garden - clearing leaves and thinning out aggressive lilies - stopping, of course, for a bit of tea while we admired the work.

A trip to the garden center proved that we were too early in the season, so it evolved into a trip to Borders and then early dinner/late lunch. Back to wash cars of the salt crust that built up over the winter before it became too chilly or dark to stay outdoors. That turned into using the power-washer to clear the driveway, walks and rinse the windows - I hate to simply watch someone else work, so I started in on clearing the front beds.

The day ended with a film of short films, "Paris, Je'taim," tea and a slice of cheesecake.

What can I say - God's in his heaven and all's right with the world.

Coming from an agnostic, that means alot...

456

I have 456 unread Make blog posts.

Everyday I say, "I'll read those later, when I have time to process them."

And every night I say, "I'll read those tomorrow."

In addition to Reader, I get approximately 10-15 daily links from the Physicist.
All of which are interesting and lead more research, reading and often expand my Reader list by a few.

I do the same thing - sending links upon unsolicited links to friends.

Excellent way to expand knowledge or time suck?

Opinions?

Hellllooooo

I'm a little bit back.
I've been working and knitting and enjoying weekends with the Physicist.
A short list of the past few weeks.
I've...

• seen the Weston Exhibit at the Akron Art Museum.
• spent the afternoon in Oberlin and taken in the collection at the Allen Art Museum.
• seen E.O. Wilson speak at Severence Hall on Darwin
  
• seen Brian Greene speak at Finney Chapel on String Theory
  
• read "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith
• read "The Year of Magical Thinking" by Joan Didion
• started "A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson
• started "Epitaph for a peach" by David Masumoto
  
• watched countless TED talks
• drank copious amounts of tea
• finished watching the complete "Brideshead Revisited"
• weened myself off sleeping with a white noise machine (sometimes...)
  
• learned to ask for the little things that make life better
• learned that asking sometimes even results in receiving
• ate hybridized chestnuts
• strengthened my vegetarian cooking skills
• learned what a 2-stroke engine is AND am preparing to help fix one (!)

All in all, it's been a good few weeks - strike that - months.

Happy just isn't fodder for blogs - but I'll try to keep up appearances...

Grease monkey

Last weekend Physicist and I went to my uncle's and picked up the outboard motor that hasn't worked in almost a decade.

I know nothing of building and/or rebuilding motors.
Carburetors? Nope.
Pistons? Uh-uh.
Crankshafts? What?

But I can't wait to figure it out.

We're getting a barrel from a friend of a friend once we clean it, because you can't work on an outboard unless its propeller is in water (I actually knew this - yay, me!)

The trailer has new wheels - now I just have to get my parents to the Title Bureau to transfer it to me so I can secure a trailer license and haul the beast to the garage.

Pics will come soon!

At the very least, it feels good to finally move forward on a project I've been aching to get started for years.

Hurrah for forward momentum!

New art!!!

Friday night I went to see the live action Oscar shorts at the Cedar Lee.
On my way back to the car, I stopped into HeightsArts where I found THIS...



Love Love Love this.
Love it.

In 2002 I was doing an internship in the conservation lab at the art museum and they were just accessioning this piece by the same artist, Brent Kee Young - from his fossil series.

Now, I've searched a bit and realized I am not currently of the budget to purchase one of those, but my piece... it was a splurge, but I feel I have now checked off each of the local artists I wanted represented in my collection.

More Mid-winter knitting

Like the rest of Northeast Ohio, I was buried under 5 feet of snow for (what felt like) eons.

So what did I do?

I knit.

Ysolda's Gretel. Made for my mother who requested a fetching hat that would cover her ears.



I love this pattern - the trellis cabling is achingly sweet.



I started this 2 weeks ago and finished it in the car on the way back from the Akron Art museum this past Sunday. Go see the Edward Weston exhibit - you won't regret it.



So sweet! (Even without make-up...)


This sweater is actually what I've been working on as the snow drifted. I've no link to the pattern as it was in a free magazine I picked up at River Colors.



It's a good example of tempting fate - it was meant to be made with a different size yarn and needle - and the yarn I chose was limited as it was a destash purchase with no hope of getting anymore than the 5 or 6 skeins I had. So I squinted my eyes and hoped very, very hard that it would fit.



It seems to have worked.

Contentment

I'm pretty happy these days.
That's a wonderful thing.
But it seems to result in less blog posts.
I don't know why this is, other than I have a lot less angst to sort out these days, and this format was great for weighing the Great Questions of Life.
I still have questions - but there's a much different tone to them now.

I think I may engage in some housecleaning here, maybe rearrange some things.

There is a spectacular project looming on the horizon - something I've been chomping at the bit to start for years - my father has a 14' sailboat that is now mine and it needs W O R K. I have a place to put it and hands to help - now I just need to get it from my uncle's farm to a garage east of the city.

Wish me luck! I want to be sea-worthy by August!