Pischi Days

The Finish Line

Against all odds, finished. On the podium, err, grapefruit tree hangs the Flutter Scarf, my entry into the Scarf Stroke for Team Canada at the 2008 Ravelympics.

First some stats. The scarf is the latest MimKnits design. For those of you don't know, MimKnits is the talented Miriam Felton, author of the Icarus Shawl that I knit earlier in the year.
I chose Knitpicks Shimmer in the Cumulus colorway. An appropriate choice of color for the type of weather that we had the last few days. I staggered in just under the finish line, Sunday, August 24, 2008, at 11:55:00 AM, knitting furiously, while downing my morning coffee. I quickly wove in the ends and gave it a good blocking under the Florida sun. I had no live model this morning, so the grapefruit tree had to do. To liven things up I picked a few hibiscus, Chinese Lanterns, in brilliant red.

I am disconsolate now that the Olympics re at an end. I thought the last two weeks gloriously entertaining. I was a little sad when the swimming ended. We were glued to set during both men's and women's events. Who could take their attention away from Michale Phelps.
It was a turbulent last week for me. I started a new job and revisited the exhaustion that  only food service can bring. I now punch this.

I folded tons of these.
I put paper liners in these.
There were plenty of these to wrap.
I won't bore you with further details. I also made plenty of coffee drinks, served masses of scones and cookies, and made gallons of smoothies. Working in a bakery is very tactile and full of wonderful smells. I come home with the scent of steamed milk and freshly ground coffee in my clothes.
I also started a couple of my classes. The ones I could get a head start on were online. My first live class was canceled due to Fay and all the flooding. So, next week looms without the spectacle that was the Beijing Olympics, the first day of school starting all over again, and the second week of the "new job" .
Tonight I will wear my Flutter Scarf  to the telecast of the closing ceremonies and look forward to new beginnings and thought my Winter Ravelympics project in Vancouver.

080808/08:08 Let the Games Begin

It's here, another Knitting Olympics and I have my needles clicking in the Scarf Stroke for Team Canada. My sports paraphernalia of choice is the Flutter Scarf by Miriam Felton. Yarn from KnitPicks, I chose Shimmer, a baby alpaca and silk blend in colour Cumulus knit on Clover bamboo needles. All cleverly chosen with an Asian theme in mind.
I have been enjoying a much needed two weeks in between working woman and college girl. In that time I've been sorting through closets, organizing papers and doing a little shopping online.
I received yarn from the Neighbourhood Fiber Company. It's called Penthouse Silk in the Sheridan Circle colourway. I have it earmarked for the Hanami Stole.
In the blue green theme, I have this lovely sock yarn called Lost Lake from Impulse of Delight. She is an indy dyer from the Whistler area of BC.
When I heard that Lorna's Laces was contemplating a series based on well known knitters, I had to jump on the charter skeins based on of my favourite knit bloggers, Franklin Habit. The colour is called Franklin's Panopticon.
Next up is yarn from Elliebelly. I just received it today. From another indy dyer, this is a seacell/merino blend in the Florida colorway.
I have fallen in love with stitch markers and can't seem to  enough of them. These are tiny and I bought several sizes to fit several needle sizes. They are hammered sterling silver and copper from Spindle Cat Studios.
My last purchase was a biggie. I treated my self to a nifty little MacBook. It was wonderful until I started to load my Office for the Mac and found out the optical drive is kaput. I have had several wonderful visits to tech support per telephone but the problem requires a trip to the Genius Bar. So, off I go on Monday in the hopes that I don't have to leave it there. Erik is looking forward to a quick trip to IKEA and I hope that the problem is quickly resolved so that I can accommodate him.
In conclusion, let me thank Michele, McKnitter, for inviting me to knit with the Brevard Coffee House Knitters. We met up in Melbourne at the Barnes and Noble. It was great to meet new knitters. I have to say though that our Sunrise Bread Company can't be beat for comfy chairs and atmosphere. I hope that the knitters I met can make it north one Saturday morning so we can repay their hospitality. I'm looking forward to the winter when snowbirds return and our group really benefits from all the knitters from up north and overseas.
Wishing you much happiness throughout these Knitting Olympics!

幸福

Obama in My Backyard

A few days ago, if you would have told me that I would be in the same room with a presidential hopeful I'd have collapsed in gales of laughter. I have my opinions about the state of the economy, the ever increasing cost of living, my decreasing income, the war, health care, et cetera, with the realization that or present state is akin to a huge ship that can't be turned around so easily. I am among those who don't feel that we are better off than we were four or even eight years ago.  So when I heard that Barack Obama was coming to our fair city of Titusville, I had to make an effort to hear him speak in person.
The Berlin speech made such an impact on my family over in Germany.  My aunt found his speech to be eloquent and his ideas to be grounded in the interests of the American people. I didn't hear the full speech myself. Instead I read sound bites in our local paper. I felt some shame that my aunt was better informed than I was.
Friday morning I stood in line and received two tickets to the town hall meeting that took place this morning. A friend and I arrived at the gymnasium two and a half hours early and were fortunate to get great seats three rows back from the podium. As we waited, the rest of the gym started to fill up with friends, neighbours, our local politicos  in office, and those currently running for office. Secret service were in evidence as was our local police, sheriff, and fire department. As we sat, we got to know the people around and next to us. We traded quips and took pictures of the surroundings. We sat still as school children as the New York Times photographers requested so they could take pictures for the NYT magazine. The gym was rapidly heating up and I saw political pamphlets doing duty as fans to cool those high up in the bleachers.
I looked around and spotted several friends included in those chosen to sit in the stands behind the podium.
After the minister, the politician,  local Democratic party leader,  state senator, and concerned citizen spoke, it was time for Obama to make his appearance. He did to hoots and howls and foot stomping.
I listened closely to the message of  "Change". It was a great speech but I'm not a good judge of political stump speeches. I did agree with what I heard. Affordable health care, a living wage, affordable college education ($4000.00 credit per year) for those who agree to give back in the form of community service. Long term prosperity, solutions to the energy crisis and global warming, winding down the war in Iraq, shutting corporate loopholes, and ending tax cuts for the wealthy.
Who wouldn't want those conditions? Can they be delivered and how long will it take? No one really knows. Someone asked that question in the Q and A session afterwards.
As I listened, I had to nod my head in agreement. Our local economy is closely tied to the space program and so many livelihoods rely on what the next administration's view of space is. It all sounds promising...but can it be delivered? 
When it came time to leave, I was surprised to be lead into a back by a charming fireman who asked if I wanted to meet Senator Obama. I dried my clammy hands and queued in the hall with a few others who were lucky enough to get up close and shake his hand. I thanked him for coming bringing our community together. He smiled and squeezed my shoulder and thanked me for coming.
An hour or so later, on my way to my son's swim meet, I passed the dozens of police on motorcycles  heading west to Orlando. As I approached the traffic light, the big black bus was turning the corner off US 1 onto Garden Street and following the escort. I rolled down my window, honked and waved. Maybe he saw me and wondered why I didn't pull out my knitting for the photo op. I guess I just wasn't thinking straight. Larger issues loomed.

Who Would Have Thought...

...that our fair city would be on the tour. I wonder if I can slip in my knitting and get a photo of the three of us? I have an extra ticket...