New knitting and new experiences

With all of the rain we have had so far this winter, it is so nice to have a day with the bluest skies you can imagine, and sun that actually has a tiny bit of warmth to it if you tilt your face towards it, and hold still for a minute or so. There is some medicinal benefit to it you know...vitamin D, in moderation of course. Also, I think with the sun at the angle it is this time of year, there probably isn't much harm in soaking up a little of its rays. Maggie and I hung out in it for a few minutes this morning, but she wasn't going to let me take her new sweatshirt hoodie off of her. Sorry for the blurry photo...she is hard to capture as she is a very active puppy and is constantly on the move. She loves her sweaters, and anything else that wraps around her little body to keep her warm. Even with the sun, who could blame her though? It is still rather chilly....

So far, I have stuck with my new goal of completing my UFOs I began last year. I'm actually pretty excited about them too, and wish I could've finished them long ago, but other things had to take precedence the closer it got to the holidays. Last night, I finished the back of my Sausalito cardigan, and this morning, I completed one pattern repeat on the right front. I'm not sure how much I'm going to like the looks of this on me as it's a boxy kimono style design, and I tend to need something with a little more shape to it. I loved how it looked on the employee Ms. Babs had working for her at Stitches this past year, and the yarn is an absolute dream to work with! I also loved the idea of wearing a white blouse/shirt under this neutral colorway. The top photo is the back folded in half, as it was easier to photograph that way (the edges roll), and the other of course, is the right front I started.

Yesterday, I treated myself to a much needed pedicure. As I was getting ready to leave the house though, I realized I had no 'purse' knitting to take along. Once I finished Scooter's sock monkey socks, I was left with no knitting to ride along in the car with me. We were so busy over the holidays that there was just no time for any small projects to keep my hands busy for those times when you find yourself waiting in line somewhere, at an appointment, or meeting a friend for coffee, etc. I began thinking this was going to have to be an exception to my commitment of finishing up all of those UFOs before I cast on for something new. Then it hit me! I remembered I had purchased a scarf kit I also fell in love with at Stitches last year, and in fact, had already started it. It's called the Bamboo Heart Throb Scarf by Gita Maria, and a beautiful glass enamel on silver shawl pin comes with it. The yarn is Berroco Bonsai, a very pretty shimmery bamboo ribbon, and I chose the Arabian Cowrie colorway. I believe this yarn has been discontinued, but you may still be able to snag some off of Ravelry from someone's stash, or your LYS may still have some in stock. The pattern is a simple 4/2 rib with a five stitch garter stitch border. I love that it is very drapey and soft. So, this is what went with me to the nail salon yesterday, and I'm actually excited to be working on it, as well as being able to stay true to the goal I set for myself. It will be a very pretty spring accessory!

Before I leave you for today, I want to brag a little about one of my friends that had us over for a New Year's eve celebration. What a wonderfully elegant, mellow, but fun, evening we had. Thank you Carol for such a very nice time!! Man, can this gal cook!!!! It was mine and Scooter's first all vegan meal, and WOW! She started us off with appetizers made from hummus, which we had never tasted before. Two different flavors, one with garlic and lemon juice, and the other with sun dried tomatoes. She also made a type of guacamole, basically avocados mixed with salsa. It was so hard to decide which one of these were our favorite, but I think when I make it, it will have to be with the sun dried tomatoes. Next up was a delicious vegetable and pasta soup, served with a made from scratch calamato olive bread...talk about heaven!!! Then, a beautiful green salad with several types of lettuce (except iceberg) and more bread. Our entree was the most awesome pasta, tofu, and vegetable casserole, served with green and black olives along with fennel. I NEED this recipe!!!! All of this was served with a very nice red wine. Scooter, my meat eater, was extremely impressed that he didn't come away hungry, and surprised that he loved the taste of it all. He isn't ready to give up at least our chicken and fish yet, but we definitely appreciated all that went into Carol giving us the opportunity to experience such a tasty meal...again, thank you so much Carol! Her husband has done some extensive traveling around the world, so not only is he very interesting to talk to, but he also treated Scooter to some new and different types of Scotch he has picked up in the different countries he has been to. They had a great time sipping and talking about them, and both Carol and her husband were the perfect hosts!

I have quite a bit more knitting to share with you, but the day is getting away from me, and with a couple of errands to take care of today, I'll leave you with this for now. Take care and have a beautiful day!!!