It felt so good...

....to pull out Lindy and spin again!  Boy have I missed it.  Holiday knitting and way too much traveling have made spinning go on the back burner.  Not to mention, you make all this yummy yarn that needs to be used!  

Here is 4 oz of Merino.  I ended up doing a chain plying (or Navajo plying).  This is a way of creating a 3 ply yarn from one single.  The advantage is that it is nice to not have to have 3 equal lengths on bobbins (which never happens) and I hear it can be good for certain color effects.  I found that it was harder to deal with my single breaking, but with practice maybe that wouldn't be an issue.

Right now I'm thinking it wants to be a hat and maybe a cowl....will 350 yards be enough? I think so....so many decisions to make!

I still need to wash this yarn but maybe that will happen next weekend!  Now I need to prepare a talk for tomorrow :)  (because there is spinning with N tonight!!!!)

Blogging again!

I think life is starting to feel normal again.  Last week, once DH got sick, I realized that I too had been sick...not just jet lag :)  But now we seem to be doing better!

On a side note, not a knitting note.....do you notice how many people miss use the word to, too, two?  Now if you read this blog you know that I'm not the best at grammar, nor do I really try to be, but....last week, posted in the office, a memorial service invitation...."A life to short...."  I couldn't believe it!  I felt bad for his family.  Oh well!  Rant is over!

When I returned from Glasgow I needed a comfort knit....something easy that would make me forget how tired I was and just relax!  Good thing the memory of frogging 2/3's of the second sock had lessened, so these socks came out of time out and flew off the needles!

Pattern:  Basic sock on 68 stitches with 2x2 ribbing and heel flap.

Yarn: Austermann Step  (I really liked working with it, I hope they feel as good on my feet and after a few washes)

Needles: US 1.5  DPN 

Time to knit:  Too long.....started these socks on my trip to Chicago in December.  Start the second sock on my trip to DC in January only to find out that I can't count and had been using 64 stitches (I know....I am a mathematician, but I can't count....I am not alone....trust me!)

The stripes didn't match exactly, but I'm okay with that!  Next time thought I would do a round toe.....they really do fit my feet better that way!

We had a relaxed weekend....I love those....including a cookout with friends!!!!  If only everyday could be the weekend!  But then maybe they wouldn't feel so special?  Tomorrow...spinning update!!!

So I promised you a story....

....well there was that visit to the police station....making my first police report ever....where my american english was quickly translated to scottish english....I wish I could remember all the phrases used, but....my head was in other places.

Bad News:  All my money was stolen out of my hotel room!

Good News:  I didn't have to deal with it alone....nice having an advisor and her husband around....I switched hotels (to a nicer one at that) and the hotel reimbursed me out of pocket for what I lost!  PTL!  and my passport was still there!

The whole event left me a little shaken and it was hard to focus after that, but there was much to be thankful for in the situation!

Hopf Link (for the math people)

Bad News:  I lost my scarf....yes the one that I made the matching hat for....the day I found my money gone....we called around...it isn't to be found!

Good News:  I'm a knitter!  I can cope!  Just an excuse to make a new one!

Bad News:  Not much knitting got done on the trip.  Most of this sock (it is the Leyburn pattern)

Good News:  I got lots of math done!  and found out I really like Lorna's Laces sock yarn!

Bad News: I hate jet lag!

Good News:  My Austermann Step sock are out of time out and progressing quite well!

Yarny goodness!

I got to spend one glorious morning at k1 yarns, Glasgow's lovely yarn shop! and bought some lovely souvenir yarn!

A sweater's worth of yarn spun at the New Lanark mill...not too far from Glasgow! It is a wool/silk blend, a nice aran tweed! Yum!

And a little more in a different color...Mom this just screamed you! How could I not buy it?

Some lovely lace weight!

and of course some sock yarn!

They also gave me a nice bag to hold my projects! Now my advisor also found me a knitting group to attend while I was in Glasgow! Well other people connected to the math department attend, so the group kind of found her! It was a nice evening to relax, sip some tea, eat a savory scone, and knit with new friends!

Was there a language barrier?

Funny how two people speaking English sound so very different!

Scottish     = American

biscuit =         cookie

cake =            homemade cookie/quick bread

?? =        biscuit

runners =   tennis shoes

queues ahead =      lines ahead

bonnet      = hood of the car

football    =        soccer

take away =        to go

toilet        = restroom

filtered coffee=     coffee

maths   = math

chips     =   fries

crisps    =    chips

cheers   =    thank you

This doesn't even consider the accent issues.....may brain couldn't handle eves dropping....sounded too much like foreign language, when I really had to communicate I could, at least most of the time.

Not to mention that pedestrians don't have the right of way on the roads and the cars drive on the opposite side of the road...I had no instincts about where to look, but thankfully managed just fine!  Glad I was on foot though!

I went shopping....for some unmentionables that were MUCH cheaper there than here!  These pics are right outside the mall!  

and off course the bagpiper so you don't forget where you are!

Back and catching up

Everyone has said that jet lag is easier going west than east....I'm not sure I agree!  Maybe because it is easier for me to go to bed and wake up early versus staying up late.  Maybe it is that spring is in full force here and it wasn't there.  Anyway, I'm getting there!  Maybe tonight I will be able to stay up until 9 pm!

Here is the official proof:

I am now a world traveler!  

So where to start?  Math....the real reason for the trip.....productive!  I worked very hard on this trip (maybe that is why I'm so tired now?) and it was awesome to be able to talk to my advisor daily!   It is a true answer to prayer that the long distance thing is working and I'm progressing on my research!  

My second weekend in Glasgow we went to Sterling Castle!  It was awesome!  Renovated in the 1500's!  I love seeing where the royalty would preserve over the great hall....just like the movies!

I guess I'm going to let the pictures tell the story of the castle (there are more...I'll show you in another post...don't want this one too long)

I just love this one...looking out the window...too cool!

So let's see....I still need to tell you about....so many things!

Woohoo!

Tomorrow I'm going home!  It has been a good trip....with stories and adventures no less....yarn, police station and some math....but all in due time I will share my travels.  For now....I'm going to go to bed excited that tomorrow night I will be with my DH, in my bed, hopefully with a happy Kitty too!  Cheers!