sunday marathon

yesterday, my new friend the haphazard knitter (heretofore known as THK) came over for brunch and knitting. this lasted till midnight and was one of the best days i've had in YEARS! you tell me what could be better than a day of cooking, drinking, knitting, and good conversation--there just aren't many things... you can see from that mess on the table that it was a very good day. (if you want to know what all that stuff is, just click on the picture--there are notes.)

in the knitting arena, i worked on my sock--i have one whole lace repeat done, even though it about kicked my ass. (you should have seen the round i knitted BACKWARDS--even THK was thrown by THAT one!) i also made about a foot of progress on my dream swatch, and casted on a new felted bag (mindless knitting is still very important to me). i also spent some time fondling stash yarns, drooling on the socks and fabulous new sweater being knitted by my guest extraordinaire, and trying to help the hippie understand the somewhat ambiguous instructions for knitting the ears of his rabbit. the hippie joined in on the knitting at about 2pm abd made it through for the long haul--probably his longest knitting stint ever. so yeah--my hands are a bit sore today in spite of taking breaks--i feel like it's the knitting olympics again! for THK it almost IS--she's trying to finish her central park hoodie in time for rhinebeck. that's T-12 days--i think she'll make it!

on the other side of my day was the cooking and the drink mixing. i love getting experimental in the kitchen. i made some bloody marys following loose instructions from my friend mary, and they were delicious! rimming the glass with old bay definitely adds a little something extra. i also made some cinnamon struesel muffins for breakfast that kicked ass for breakfast today, too! i also roasted a chicken for dinner, and i made this experimental side dish to go along. i roasted some sweet potatoes and a pear, then mashed them together with a bunch of fresh ginger, a little bit of cinnamon, and just a touch of dark brown sugar--that's definitely something i will do again. we also broke into a bottle of red wine that the hippie and i have been saving for a special occasion (and what's more special than a whole day of knitting???), the last of our langhe rosso baby barolo. the vintage is gone and we can't get it anymore, but MAN, it was good while it lasted!!!

i tell you, people, there IS no better way to spent a cool overcast sunday than this. i wish i could make it a weekly tradition!

and now it's time for me to go make a ninja strike on the yarn store--knitting really makes you want more yarn! :)