Beanie-Weenie Flavor

First off, check these out! David L. brought these to us during his visit, and all I wanna know is how I've lived this long without ever having one of these canolis before now? In trying to convey just how heavenly these were, words fail me. I say 'were,' because they didn't last long.

Now that I have my first week of full-time employment in my new field under my belt, let's reflect on that. Slipping into my old work routines was blessedly easy to do. It's my family and friends that can't get used to my being elsewhere all day everyday, which has been kinda comical to tell the truth. Sheesh guys, I wasn't the SAHM forever, remember? We've been like this before (chuckle).

I absolutely love every aspect of this new job! The people are the greatest, the work itself is interesting, and the daily rhythm suits me very well. I'm just afraid that I"ll somehow blow it. Yeah, it's that good a thing. I should've done this sooner. Shush you.

The first two days though, I couldn't understand why I was so tense and sore when I got home. I felt fine during the day, and it's a sit-down-computer kind of job. Then I realized I was so emotionally hyped about it all and so engrossed in the tasks, that both days I only sat on the front two inches of the chair! I looked all calm, I'm pretty sure. But ya know, the excitement has to come out somewhere, just like stress does, and with me it was how I perched like a bird all day instead of leaning on back in that comfy chair. So the next day, I consciously paid attention to my posture and how I sat. Amazing what it can do for ya to put your entire hiney in the entire chair.

A drug rep had provided lunch one day for the entire staff, and a nice one too. From it were some left over baked beans that some of the ladies decided couldn't go to waste. I share an office with another coder, and our office is right off from the break room kitchen. So as those ladies were devising what all could be done with a big mess of baked beans, the following phrase wafted into my ears: "beanie-weenie flavor." Dunno why, but it made me giggle for days.

Since my knitting is best done in the mornings, it's been reduced to just 15-30 minutes with the coffee and local news show. It was during one of those weekday mornings that I finished my November Now! fingerless gloves.

So it was with even greater enthusiasm that I really looked forward to this week's Fertile Turtles knitting group. And did they ever blow me away -- at just a little after 11:30am, I was the 13th knitter to arrive. We had three more come in after me, for a total of 16 very rowdy knitters who totally took over the coffee shop! It was joked that we should charge for admittance, because our knit-togethers are just so therapeutic. And that made me think, ya know, we pay each other with all the good company and knitterly inspiration. It's what brings me back every week!

Here we have Pam, Raeus, Barb, Kristine, Carol, Caitlynn, Angelika, Sharon, Jane, Debra, Brooke, and Anastasia.

Right up front, lemme tell ya that the yarn swap was a fun success, with half of it finding a local home. The other half, I'm guessing about seven pounds worth, will be donated to charity via The Yarn Haven's connection with a lady who takes it to Zimbabwe.

And by the way, Zimbabwe is one of those words you read or hear in the news sometimes, but never have any reason to say your ownself. I mean, it just doesn't come up in casual hillbilly conversation, ya know? Now I can't stop saying it, 'cause it's just one of those fun words to say. Zimbabwe.

Caitlynn has her February Lady Sweater done, and it fits, and it's beautiful! She got me all fired up to finish them sleeves on my own FLS.

And Carol's sweater in the Noro Silk Lite we've been following? It's all grown up now into a stunning blouse. It's just too pretty to call it a Tshirt.

Kristine is all moved into Knoxville now, and joined us today, bringing her lavender baby blanket with which to KiP (Knit in Public).

Pam finished those socks from last week, and is now onto a pair of Jaywalkers. I had a photo of her new socks-in-progress, but I reckon my camera ate it. That happened last week too, with a different photo. Hmmm . . . sorry (blush).

Sharon also came back to us, from Berea, and brought this tweedy brown cowl neck sweater that's nearly done by the looks of it.

And would you just look at Anastasia's sock-to-be, you know, the project she's learning to knit with! It even has lace, for crying out loud. That young lady is going to take over the world one day.

I settled in with my November Now! scarf, affecting my own weekly fiber therapy.

Nicole made it in shortly after me, with Ginger only minutes after that. Check out Ginger's Cascade Nikki yarn - gasp! She brought in a nifty chart for the Clapotis scarf, that she found here. It's actually a spreadsheet - who'da thunk?

Mary Beth stopped by briefly, as she had things at home holding her attention today. She's looking into using something she's heard of before, for a current project, called a Russian Join. None of us had heard of it, but I found this about it (clicky).

Something else that wafted into my left ear today has me wondering if enough of us would be interested (read, "willing to buy one") in Fertile Turtles gear to warrant a Cafe Press sort of thing. I also had the brief notion to chart out an image of naughty turtles, so they could be fair isled onto something (snicker).

And Carol put me onto the scent leading me to ways of making homemade buttons, and I discovered dorset buttons, which have my attention at the moment.

Ya know, one of our long time regulars discovered she was pregnant right after we named our group the Fertile Turtles. And today we learned that one of our newcomers is also expecting. Meanwhile, over on the Ravelry message boards, one who wants to come meet us soon has just had a baby. Ya think we might have done something when we named ourselves that? Naaaahhhh . . .