To have received not one, not two, but THREE fun things in the mail today! I wasn't even expecting the Summer Interweave Knits for a couple of months. I love so many patterns in this issue, including all the variations on the shrug! Oh, I know it's this season's poncho, destined for years of ridicule once we're over the fad, but I love them anyway. And how convenient that the KnitPicks catalog should arrive simultaneously! It's like the postman is looking out for me. Which I know for a fact is not true, because if we get mail that doesn't contain our unit number in the address, he doesn't deliver it. Instead, we get a note in the mailbox saying to tell people who send us mail that the unit number is an essential part of the address. Of course, he KNOWS who the mail is for, otherwise how would he have known who to give the note to? Garh. When I was growing up, we had the nicest postman - I always remember him trekking up our very steep street with his bursting mail bag slung over a burly shoulder. Anyway. And I'm making progress on the Hourglass Sweater, and have dutifully joined the Knitalong - my first ever! I don't think that you can make it out in this small pic, but the stitch marker is one of my original Shrinky-Dink creations - there's a little drawing of a DNA double helix and the word "wildtype". It's a little nerdy, and has really nothing to do with knitting (besides the fact that it's a stitch marker. Could also be an earring, I suppose, since I made it out of an earring hoop. Now that would be wildtype). I never wanted to be one of those people who take photos of their dinners, but I couldn't resist with this one. Grilled 'shrooms, zucchini, and mahi mahi with an avocado relish. I also threw together a sweet n' sour red onion and cucumber salad, just like Grandma used to make. I think it turned out pretty - but it's all just a rehearsal until summer weather comes in earnest. As you can tell from this pic taken this morning on my trek into work, Seattle is still a little under the weather. But hey, sunset isn't until 8 pm or so, and we still have 2 more months until the longest day of the year. I love the northern latitudes...