Another great episode of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency. Always a good read. I look forward to the next book!

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Yes, it has been a while. I’m older than 31 now. I changed jobs, twice. I had a kid. Things got busy. I stopped blogging partially because I began working in a retail job where I interacted with lots of people all day and at the end of the day, I was  done communicating. It was exhausting! Social networks like Facebook, Ravlery, and Goodreads have helped me keep track of my need to share and communicate with others, track my knitting projects and which books I’ve read and want to read. But sometimes a post on Facebook feels weird. I guess a blog is just as public, but it serves more as a journal which is what I’m looking for now.

Managing work, new babies, and my relationships with other people is amazing but sometimes I don’t feel like I have my own space anymore. Lately I’ve had the urge to write again and I think that blogging might be a good way to get those creative juices going. Let’s see what happens.

1.Knit a Fair Isle project – Done! I took a Fair Isle hat class and at least got the concept down, now all I have to do is finish the hat.

2. Read 50 books in a year – Not this year, there was WAY too much going on for this to happen. I will do it someday though.

3. Become a better continental knitter – Done! I am much better continental knitter than last year. I still like to throw but am glad I know both methods.

4. Blog more often! – Ummm not so much. I like to blog but it never seems to happen!

5. Finish the knitting projects that I start – No comment. This was an unreasonable goal, I never finish what I start. It’s good to keep in mind but I am just not that kind of knitter.

Recreation:

6. By a road bike and use it! – Lack of funds due to wedding made this impossible. I will try to do it this year.

7. Swim on Saturdays – I ended up joining a new gym and swam lots during the week.

8. Follow Triathlon training program. Done! I loved this program and will use it again this year.

9. Cut another 15 minutes off last year’s Danskin time. – I really feel that I would have done well at Danskin had I signed up and not gotten distracted by my wedding (I didn’t sign up because I was supposed to be on my honeymoon at that time). I lost a dress size this year training so that’s good in itself!

10. Hike more! – Nope, got distracted by training for the triathlons and the wedding.

Personal

11. Decide about eating meat. – Done! Eating meat now.

12. Try to let go of control – or not be such a control freak! – Done! I was much less controlling this year and completely let go when planning the wedding.

13. Go to yoga/reduce everyday stresses – Nope, I didn’t have enough time to reduce stress, but I did work out a lot which helped.

14. Follow through with my promises. – Done! I promised to get married and then I did.

15. Keep in touch with far away friends as well as those close by more often. Done! I saw lots of people at the wedding. Perhaps not so good lately…..

Now I just have to come up with 31 goals for this upcoming year. I’ll have to make them pretty broad though. After the craziness of this year, who know what will happen while I am 31!

1. We are going to the Tri-Cities for Thanksgiving. It snowed in the passes today so let’s hope it’s pretty going over the mountains and but not snowing on the road. Also, the WADOT has this great link for those of us who are traveling by car around the state so we know when is the best time to leave.

2. My brother wants a hat for Christmas (I don’t think he reads my blog). I want to make Center Square and he’s not a super manly man but I’m not sure if this is a girly hat or not. He looks great in blue and I liked this colorway. Thoughts?

3. I hate it when it’s dark outside at 3:30 PM. I know I live in the Northwest but really…

This story caught my eye about the Seattle Public Library and how many hundreds of people have stuff on holds. I actually switched my library hold list to the King Count Library System becks of that and because the Issaquah library is actually much more accessible for me. It’s great to know that so many people are using the public library system! It makes me happy.

Also this morning, the PI’s Daily Find was the Tom Bihn Knitting Bag! Wow.

I’ve been knitting. I finished the back of the Veste Everest and am about a 1/4 done with the front. I am so happy with this project, I can’t wait to wear it. I also cast on for Monkey from Knitty.com but I fear that I am knitting too tightly on my size US 1 (2.25mm) needles and will have to go up to a US 2 (3mm) I am thinking about ordering some 2.75mm needles from knitpicks because I worry that they will be too big on a US 2. I am using Socks that Rock lightweight in Kryptonite and am loving the colorway. Here’s a picture:

I also took a sewing class at Stitches in Seattle with Meg! It’s been lots of fun! It was more of a refresher class for both of us but was a great reminder that I pretty much knew what I was doing. Luckily before I got a big head and thought I was not only the queen of knitting but had a handle of this sewing thing too, I nearly sewed the wrong sides of my pants together. Thankfully a helpful class member noticed that ours looked different from one another and the problem was solved! I don’t have a picture of the pants yet but here’s the fabric:

We talked pretty much the whole time not getting the reading or knitting we had planned accomplished. It was lots of fun though and we had some of the best weather I can remember! Here are some great pictures:

This is the view from the bluff where the cabin sits:

And from a slightly different angle:

The same island from down on the beach next to the river:

Another picture from the beach, I just love driftwood.

Here’s Meg comming down to the beach from the trail. Isn’t she a hardcore outdoors woman?

And just becasue I liked how it was sitting, some beach grass

I also got a little knitting done on the Veste Everest, here is is overlooking the ocean:

I can’t wait to go back…….

Speaking of web-cams, when I am feeling trapped in Seattle I also like to take a look at these:

Hurricane Ridge

Mt. Rainier

Hood Canal

Hopefully I’ll take lots of good pictures and will post them on Monday when I’m back in town.

How cute is that!