Is it christmas, already?

I received two very happy surprise presents the other day.

1. Yarn. From Peru. Lots of it.

My friend Astra went to Peru and as a thank you for looking after her kitty, Pico, she brought all that back for me. There is baby alpaca in there, very soft, and some of what they call "Maybe Alpaca" as they are not sure if it's alpaca or man-made. And she talked a woman into selling her two spindles, so I could see how they spin the yarn. So very cool. So, I have yarn for days and days and days and days..... And the tote bag is awesome too!

2. Then, after picking up my new addition to my stash, I got home and found this waiting for me:

It had a lovely note from my new boss welcoming me to the team and to the company. How nice is that?? I love this company already and I haven't even started!!

I'm So Cute!

I’ve been quite the busy bee lately with the knitting. I figure I should get in as much knitting as I can in the next week, before I start my new job. I have the feeling I'll be busy and exhausted for the next few weeks and won't have much time or energy to tackle much more than a garter knit scarf, if I'm lucky. As a result, I have made my very first stuffed animal- a tiny little baby dragon. Her cuteness just makes me giggle. The places where I read the pattern incorrectly, made a small little mistake, or tried something new, all those little imperfections are exactly what make her so darned adorable.

She still needs teeth, possibly eyelashes, and a name. I got this pattern from Knitty.com and if you'd like it too you'll find it here.

First Day of Summer- A Comparison

Welcome to the first day of summer everyone! This time last year I was in the midst of what LA likes to call the "June Glooms", where it is overcast and weird in the morning, and around noon or so, it melts away and is sunny and beautiful, and usually warm.

This year, I have come to learn that Seattle weather is a bit different. As shown by the comparison below:





Yup, we are in for some rain showers, possible sun breaks (that's what they call them here, sun breaks. However, I don't think it is like a coffee break, you can't run for the door when you see one coming!) and general blahness. And, true to form, I love it. I love that I am not sweating by 11am. We had a beautifully sunny and clear day yesterday, and today, not so much.

Also, today is the longest day of the year, and the sun actually doesn't go down here until about 10pm or so. It is something that takes a little adjusting, I must admit. By the time my body feels like it is time to go to sleep, it is about midnight. But damn, it's so nice having at least 4 hours after work where I still get to see daylight. Not so great on the shortest day of the year, where the sun is setting at 4pm, but that is another post entirely.

And, just to add to the crazy which is where I live, last weekend was the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade and Pageant. This is the an event to help people in need, and all donations go to a good cause. You may well be asking "Erica, what is so crazy about that? That sounds like a great thing!" and indeed it is. However, what you don't know is this- people strip down to nothing, paint their bodies, and ride bicycles in the parade. Seriously. I have to laugh, because my friend Lisa sent me an email before I moved here, that was a slide show of people painted riding bicycles. When I asked her where they were, she said Seattle! I knew I would be right at home.... Not that you will see me participating, but just the idea that people are so nutty makes me laugh. Sadly, I missed the parade this year, but I am for sure going next year. I never made it to Bay to Breakers in SF, and I think this has the same feel, minus the long distance run/walk.

Enjoy the first day of summer, where ever you may be!

Caffeine Highs and Employment

I finally landed a gig- at Starbucks (corporate)! It's a support position, working with one of the VPs there, and I have no idea of what the group actually does, because, hey, I get a pound of free coffee a week plus all the coffee I can consume in the break rooms, and who cares what you have to do when you have that much caffeine in your system! All I heard when I talked to the recruiter was "You'll be suporting...blahblahblah...in the blabblahblah group....which does blahblahblah....oh, and you get free coffee." (Um, just kidding. Sorta.)

Yay for the full time, permanent, coffee perk-filled job!! Whoohooo! I am officially now part of the Seattle area, having worked at both Microsoft (aka Ginormo Software Co) and now Starbucks. I think I'll shoot for either REI or Amazon next!

The Poncho Lives

Diane finally got Delaney to wear the poncho I made her. So cute. She still doesn't love it, but I am happy that she finally wore it long enough for Diane to get a picture of her in it. Yay!

The Police, a Baby Blanket, and a Birthday

Hmmm.... sounds like the begining of a twisted hollywood movie! Nope, just that it is officially my 35th birthday today, I saw the Police in concert last night, and I have pics of the baby blanket.

The concert absolutely rocked last night. Not to date myself too much, but they were RAD! Sting is so great live, and he is the only man I know that just gets better with age. Thank you again to Matt for giving me one of the best b-day gifts I have received in a long time.

And, as promised, here are pictures of the baby blanket I made. I put in the little hat and made it look pretty. I can't wait for my co-worker to get them. I can't believe I actually made this!!

It's My Birthday Week!

Well, technically, it's my birthday month, but hey, who's counting? On the 7th I am turning 35, a major milestone. While I am not doing anything fancy like going to Vegas (ahhh, fond memories of my 30th), or getting rip roaring smashed (ahhh, again, fond memories of my surprise dinner party for my 30th!), I will be having a fabulous brunch at Salty's, a Seattle institution known for their amazing views of water and city skyline, as well as seafood and steaks. For all of you who can't join me, I'll be raising my glass of Champagne this Saturday in a toast, to myself! Not sure what I am going to do after the massive intake of sustenance, but most likely will involve much walking and exploring. I’ll have pictures to post, I’m sure.

More posts to follow of :

· The fantastically beautiful baby blanket that I FINALLY finished for a co-worker
· My Ballard Locks exploration photos and stories
· General hoo-ha and falderal.

In the meantime, here is a great picture of yours truly- from about 34 years ago. Yes, I looked like a big-eyed alien.... but darn I was cute!!