Notre Dame 21 Navy 23

Everything about Saturday's Notre Dame - Navy game at Notre Dame stadium was wonderful, except the final score. The day was cloudless and warm -- an unbelievable 70 degrees on November 7. The campus was beautiful, the atmosphere was festive. The quads were filled with the smells of grilling hamburgers and brats from various student concession stands. Leaves rustled underfoot. The strains of the marching band's music could be heard in the distance. The day was full of traditions -- the players' walk from the basilica to the stadium; the band marching from the administration building to the stadium. The stadium was beautiful and filled to capacity. It was certainly a day to remember and I enjoyed it all, despite the score.

Canadian Stash Enhancement

I did buy some yarn on my cruise at the beginning of September -- but only in Canada, as it turned out. First, at Loop in Halifax, I got a skein of Tanis Fiber Arts merino laceweight yarn in the Lagoon colorway. Then at Cricket Cove in St. John I got some Handmaiden yarn -- a skein of rumple (a 100% silk with a nice boucle texture) and another skein of rumple together with a skein of angel hair (70% kid mohair, 30% nylon) in coordinated colorways. Each came with a hangtag pattern for a shawl. I thought that was a clever idea -- no need to wonder what to make of the yarn or whether you would have enough yarn for the pattern.

Bar Harbor 2009

Probably the best day of our Canada-New England cruise was our day in Bar Harbor, Maine. The weather was fantastic -- in the 70s with a clear blue sky. I walked around the town, looking at the Victorian homes, many of which had been turned into inns. Then we had lunch at the Quarterdeck restaurant, on the second floor by an open window with a view of the harbor. Jeff had lobster and I had a lobster roll, followed by blueberry pie -- a yummy lunch. I didn't want the day to end.

NYC

I love going to New York City. I love the energy. I love walking everywhere -- fast, and jaywalking at intersections when there are no cars coming. This is walking as transportation, not a leisurely stroll. I love looking in the shop windows. I love watching the people. We usually stay in the Affinia Manhattan when we can. It is right across 7th avenue from Penn Station, so you don't need a taxi. And Madison Square Garden is right above Penn Station, so this hotel is super convenient when we go to watch Duke basketball at the Garden. And there are two Catholic churches less than a block away. My favorite is the Franciscan church, seen in a view from my hotel window on this trip.

Silk Garden Kerchief

Knit obsessively on the silk garden kerchief until I had nearly used up the two balls of silk garden sock yarn and was afraid to start another stripe lest I run out of yarn before I could bind off. Bound off on Wednesday night. Blocked last night. Sewed in the yarn ends this morning and now it is done. It will be a nice accessory in the fall and winter. I'm pretty pleased with it. Back to knitting on wisp??

Shawl That Jazz

I finished knitting Shawl that Jazz while in Roanoke and took time off from obsessively knitting the Silk Garden Kerchief today to sew in the tail ends of yarn so I can truely say that it is finished. I used Brooks Farm Solo Silk yarn that I got at MDSW in May. Loved the yarn. It's a mix of silk and wool with a wonderful sheen, and it is dyed in beautiful colors that flow into each other (this is greens and blues) with very little pooling. A really beautiful yarn that made a nice shawl with good drape.

I can't help it!

I should be knitting on Wisp. Beautiful yarn. Easy pattern. I started it to have something to knit on my trip to Seattle in April, then put it aside when I got home. Picked it up again for my trip to Roanoke. I was determined to get it done, and I did get a lot of knitting done on it. It's maybe halfway done at this point (I am thinking I am going to make it longer than the pattern directions instruct). But then, that Noro Silk Garden Sock yarn that I bought in Roanoke this week was calling my name, and I found a great pattern for it on Ravelry (the Silk Garden Kerchief pattern, which I am going to knit until I run out of both skeins of yarn, so it'll be bigger than a kerchief). It is the perfect pattern to show off the Noro color changes with two-row striping of two different skeins -- the same seductive lure of the two-row stripe scarves in Noro Silk Garden. Sigh. So I diligently knit on Wisp this morning and cast on the Silk Garden Kerchief this afternoon. Got pretty far on it, too.