Knitting: An olympian is born

This year I decided on several projects to knit while the Olympics were on. This year, they started on my birthday which ended up being a bad thing. As knitters everywhere were gearing up to cast on with the ceremonies and lighting of the torch, I had other plans. Good plans, but plans, none the less. So I did cast on a little later and as it was late and I had several glasses of birthday wine... I didn't knit too much. Simple 2x2 ribbing.

Then the majority of the weekend that followed was BUSY. I had a long drive back home, plans with a friend (Rodeo) and a bit of shopping. So I didn't get much knitting time in, or Olympic time. By Sunday evening, I did get settled in though and worked more on my project and even got to watch some great athletes, finally!

The Men's Moguls was an exciting event. And the figure skaters were good and bad and I'm really wondering what the heck the judges are smoking because they gave some people too high of marks and others too low. It's really random and odd.

Anyway, my Winter Twilight Mitts are coming along nicely although I'd hoped to be done with at least ONE by now because I still have to make a second one. Anyway for your viewing pleasure here is the MIP (mitt in progress) from the inside and outside. Normally I wouldn't show inside pics, but stranded colorwork is so pretty on the inside.

Knitting: Crazy good times... and with ICE CREAM CAKE!

ok, does that not look seriously amazing?!

It totally was! And while we all devoured it, I think it was the quietest part of the evening... the only noises were mmmsss... and aaaahhhsss...

Oh and one of my favorite parts of the night... I went to the bathroom (ok, not so amazing), but apparently while I was gone, something funny happened and EVERY SINGLE person there was laughing LOUDLY... it was awesome to walk into this room full of laughter... it made me laugh and I missed the joke entirely!

I brought pizza for the group, a place I hadn't tried before, but I really liked it. I thought the cheese could use a bit more flavor, but I'm always about the cheese, really!?! :)

Then the girls brought out the cake, totally shocking surprise and sooooooo amazingly nice. I mean, I seriously have the best knitting group ever. Lisa brought a bottle of $2 buck Chuck... awesome! The cake was chocolate with Black Raspberry Chip ice cream in between layers and topped with bittersweet chocolate syrup, whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. YUM!

I know I've said it a few times, but I am so fortunate to know these people. At first it was just like group knitting with people, yay... but slowly, it's evolved into this thing we like DESPERATELY cling to on a bad week (which for many was this week)! LOL... but through the last many months these gals have become... well not just knitters I know... but people that I am glad to call my friends.

I think the majority of us like TV (even if its bad and reality based) and it seems we love different music and movies and of course we have the common love of awesome yarn and knitting. So yeah, maybe first it was about the knitting, but as we've all come to grow together it just becomes this awesome community. We are all bummed when someone misses... and our newer people that have been coming for a few weeks, well it's like they've always been there. So yeah... great group.

And on a week when bad car EXPENSIVE problems crop up and work is going to crap, my stomach has had issues most of the week... and it's your birthday and being near the end of the 4th decade (do the math, that's late 30's people!) it's kind of freaky. Like when I was in my 20's... this seemed so old. And now it's here... I still feel like those days of my 20's. Pretty carefree, sometimes serious... but you know, just living. Age really is nothing but a number, but it's also a cause to pause and wonder and may be be a little melancholy because you realize... wow, life does change and with age comes mortality, etc. So long ago, birthdays meant GROWING UP... now they mean GROWING OLD... and I'm really okay with it... as long as I have these wonderful people around me, like my fabu knitting friends.

So yeah... what started as a great week with a visit from my cousin, then turned to trash on Tuesday.... but as things do, it turned around and am having a wonderful finish! Complete with dinner tonight with friends, a movie tomorrow with a friend I haven't seen in a few months... and well, it's a sunny and beautiful Friday, who could ask for more.

Oh and my car is FIXED! YAY!

A ton of my friends on facebook and ravelry wished me well. I received text messages on my phone and some cards in the mail (and a few late night phone calls). So all in all it was a pretty effing great birthday. Thanks to so many people. I am truly amazed, astounded, proud and so very thankful for all these wonderful people in my life. I am blessed and ever so fortunate.

So here's to 37, people! It's great to be me!