Jonesin' for Alabama Chanin

Howdy - it's been awhile! I finally finished my 8 weeks to do a bunch of teaching and be co-director of an actual class, so that explains the absence. I've been continuing to pump out cotton dishrags for people, and here's one of those:


And I was pining for a camping trip, so I emailed Drew to see if he and his friends were up for it if I came up and paid for the sites, but I never heard back from him. Dean and Lucas weren't feeling it either, and they went out of town while I was on call one weekend, so I set this up in about 30 minutes and camped my DAMN self!


Check out the pleading look on this face. Even Jake abandoned me, because it was about 45 degrees and he's a'skeered at things that make noise at night, so I let him sleep in Lucas's room while I slept in a sleeping bag on an egg crate (no air mattress for me, no sir).


Now the next weekend, I went to Auburn for a work trip, and took Drew out for dinner with his friends, plus bought him some groceries, and would you believe they have THESE at Walmart? (I only heard of this through Heidi, of Mobile Yarn.)


But the more interesting thing was what he and his friends talked about at dinner, which was that they were doing THIS for the weekend:


Are you kidding me?! I guess it's not cool to camp with your mom in tow, and I'm glad they went camping - 3 Eagle Scouts - but it hurt just a little. At any rate, the rest of us left him here and went to Belize for Lucas's Spring Break, so there! Here are a few pics of that:























And back home (after a painful return trip getting stuck in Houston overnight following an aborted takeoff - THAT's fun!), I had an urge to make an AC Tshirt. Our local NBC anchor wore a dress that was pink with yellow showing through cutouts that reminded me of AC, so that sent me upstairs looking for the right Tshirts. This is what I found, a heathered gray Gators shirt, and the remnants of a blue shirt I used earlier for the crocheted bathroom rug.


I drew a couple of ideas from polka dots to the Alabama Chanin spirals, and pored through all her books, then decided on daisies, which I found on Google. All my airbrushing stuff and other stencils are at the beach, so Lucas loaned me an Exacto knife and I cut one daisy out of a coffee box.


At first I was planning an all-over pattern, but then I decided on a cluster over the right shoulder.


Maybe I'll put a few on the opposite hip, too. I'll let ya' know how it turns out!


So whatchoo been up to? Got big plans for the summer? Wanna get together and airbrush some cotton?!

Spring Update

Helloooo! Been a little busy lately, how 'bout you? I've still been knitting, but I also just got back from a meeting in Portland, OR, and have been giving lots of lectures, etc. Let's have a look. I just like this picture of Lucas and Jake sharing a moment on the porch.


This is a pack of striped cotton yarn I got to make dishcloths - I really should think of something else to make with this stuff, or else I'll have to open an Etsy store to sell them!


This is a few of the hats my MIL and her friends have been making for our NICU babies...


and just a couple of the blankets. These ladies are so creative with the colors and patterns - they freehand these things!


So last weekend Dean and I ran the Azalea Train Run 10K, and I shaved a minute or two off my time. Did a 11:47 minute mile - woohoo! I took a couple of pics just because this is the only downhill portion, and you can see I'm behind hundreds of people way off in the distance.


And the Azalea Trail Maids are scattered along the course - very nice.


Here's a washcloth I made for Drew's girlfriend.


And now for my Portland trip! Here's a beautiful sunset from the plane.


This is the view from a tram that takes you from the river up to OHSU Medical Center with the VA and the Children's Hospital - cool!


Can you imagine having a hospital room overlooking this view? If your bed is aimed that way, I guess, and you're well enough to care.


This is the longest covered walkway in the country, reportedly, connecting the main hospital to the VA - and that's a gigantic VA!


On the way back home, I walked through the Atlanta airport's concourse connector instead of taking the train and was rewarded not only with the history of Atlanta, but this rainforest, complete with chirping birds and dripping water!


They even have video screens simulating the sky and birds flying overhead periodically. I love this!!!


And finally, this was the opening session of my meeting. The president was surprised by a flash mob. And the dinner on the last night was accompanied by a live band and a huge dance floor where about 100 attendees tore it up - I have found my people!