Home for the Weekend

My Dad is the dude on the right and Simon's dad is the dude on the left.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and Father's Day.  I surprised my Dad and Grandfather by coming home with out them knowing.  It was a great surprise and I loved seeing my family.  I am still in the Finger Lakes and will be making it back to Philly Tuesday night.  It's been great to be home for a few days.  The weather is awesome and my whole family is at home for the first time in a long time.  

Morning coffee and knitting.

I have gotten a bunch of knitting done, and started some more.  Taking the bus gives me plenty of time to knit.  I have even started a Wingspan and I understand why everyone is knitting this deceptively simple shawl.  It has been decided that I will knit a few for Christmas along with a few other items.

On the gift knitting front I have been a lot more productive than I thought possible.  I have completed two gifts and hope to be starting a third before I hop on the Mega Bus tomorrow to ride home to Philly.  This starting ahead stuff is really the way to go.  

It's a bit odd, but I have been super productive here at my parents house.  Technically I am on a mini vacation, but the work that I have finished while up here has astounded me.  First off like I said above I have finished two gifts, plus I designed a new free pattern to be posted on this blog in a few weeks, and if things go as planed today I will be starting a design that I have planed for the fall. 

The change of scenery I think has been the biggest factor, (that and the 4.5 hours on a bus).  It also helps that the weather here isn't as hot and humid as the city and knitting, even in the height of the afternoon, is still enjoyable.  The best knitting spot is out on my parents deck where you can watch the birds around the pond while you knit.  This mini trip up to see my family is just what I needed to start my summer.  

Another perk of sitting on the deck, watching the ponds eco-system in action, snapping turtles.  This lady came up from the pond to see what was going on yesterday. 

Busy Weekend

Shot of Seneca Lake out of Watkins Glen.

Home Sweet Home, or more like home town.  This weekend Simon and I were in the Finger Lakes.  Well we drove there spent the night and then on Friday drove up to Rochester for my best friends wedding and then we spent Saturday with my grandparents for mine and my grandfather's Birthdays. 

The wedding was fun we drank, eat and danced the night away.  I also got to wear my newest dress, the fatina shift dress.

I'm short and the mantel was tall.

I finished hemming it Wednesday night.  This dress made me realize how short I am.  I had to hem about five inches off the dress for it to hit just above my knees.  It I hadn't cut off all the excess fabric and had hammed it where it asked to be hemmed I would have a dress that would hit me mid calf.  Which I find and unflattering hemline on such a fitted skirt.

I got to hand out with my family and see my two besties from back in my high school days.

We clean up really well.

We left on Sunday and no trip to the Finger Lakes would be complete with out a stop at my favorite yarn store! 

Finger Lakes Fibers, Watkins Glen NY

It was a great trip, but I think we are more exhusted after the trip than we were before.  We came home, unpacked, picked up some groceries, and the promptly ordered Mexican.  Then we slept.  

Off to Upstate NY

Photo by Jim Hickcox

Simon and I are off to my home town for the weekend.  My best friend Beaner (his real name is Andrew) is getting married.  I love the Finger Lakes this time of year.  The trees will be changing, there will be a nip in the air, it will be apple season and the cider doughnuts will be freshly baked.

Photo by Jim Hickcox

Simon hasn't really been up to my family's place this time of year, other than our wedding which was still a bit early in the fall season.  He's excited about the trees changing and being able to wear his nice leather jacket.  Me, I'm just excited for the cider doughnuts, oh and a wedding....and my family, but damn those cider doughnuts are good.  

When you read this we will already be about half way there!

Photo by Jim Hickcox

Happy August!

It's August and I have 20 days left here on the farm and then back to Philly with me. Actually Simon and I spent our day off yesterday home in Philly. I'm missing home more so this summer than my other summers at camp. Yesterday was great, I went to my favorite coffee shop, had lunch at one of my favorite restaurants, went to my LYS, and saw friends who I haven't seen since I went to camp. I also drank some gin and tonics with said friends and had a wonderful time.

I have plans for a sweater pattern to be out this November, or October if I'm feeling ambitious. Any suggestions? Pull over, cardigan, hoodie?

I am itching to get knitting again!

Home Sweet Home

I'm back from Australia and as much as I loved Oz nothing bets coming home to my tiny apartment in Philly. I only wish Simon could of come home with me, but he'll be home at the end of the summer and I'll stay busy till then.

Being back hasn't been too eventful, unless you call waking up at 6:30 in the morning fun and exciting. I've been home since Tuesday and am just starting to get over my Jet lag. This means back to work with me. Having had the last three months off traveling has been interesting and it really made me think about what I want to do down the road. I'm not sure if this at all helped me out since now I'm a little bit confused as to what I really want, because I want to do so much. For now Im going to get over my jet lag, go to my summer job, and then go from there. With our wedding coming up in September I won't really have too much time to mull over these big life choices till after Simon and I are Married.

Wow this post got a bit deeper than I expected, well enough of that! Australia was an amazing experience. I will pick a day in the week and post more of my pictured of my time there. It is a beautiful and diverse place. I saw mountains and coast line, pristine beaches, rain forests, rolling fields, and salt water lakes. It was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had, and I will have a continued relationship with this country as Simon's family is there and we are going to try and go there at least every two years to visit them and see more on this amazing country.

Home is Where the Heart Is

Home, I love my apartment. I say this only because last night I stayed over to watch the boys I nanny as dad is on a bussiness trip. I like staying at my parents place when I visit, and Camp in the summer is my second home, but other than that I love my apartment.

This said I don't stay in my apartment and never go out. Although when it's cold out I would much rather stay in and cook and bake and of course knit. I sometimes think I am overly domestic. Simon does do the dishes and the laundry as those are two thinks I hate doing.

I start at a theatre gig in a few days, I can't wait. Techs are a lot of hurry up and do nothing, so I should be able to get a good chunk of my knitting for the spring done. I have a little over a month ot get my items made and photographed. My deadline for release is fast approaching, March 27th, but I should have lots of down time here and there up in the cat walks and in the green room. Perfect for knitting!