Vacation Wrap up

We have been back from our Oregon trip for a few days, still catching up on laundry, (why is there always laundry? I even did a load in the hotel!) so everything still feels pretty fresh and new. The second half of the trip turned out to be mostly visiting college campuses. Henry is heading into high school, but he has been following college sports for years and knows exactly what schools he wants to see, namely, Oregon State University in Corvallis and University of Oregon in Eugene.

Henry the future beaver in the brand new basketball gym

Henry (on the 2nd floor) in UO business school

The loot, book from Powell's, yarn from Pearl Fiber Arts

How interesting some of you mentioned Portlandia in last week's comments. I have seen a few episodes of the show (Henry too), and really enjoyed it. I wanted to visit Portland, because it's the city of bikes and public transit, fresh organic local foods and free spirited Portlandias unpolluted by the corporate national retail chains, not to mention all the yarn shops. It'd only be fitting for me to plan a trip that takes me there on the train, and we'd find a little place to stay through AirBnB, maybe someone's backyard cottage, or a garage converted into tiny apartment; we'd get around town on bikes or buses; we'd shop in the local farmer's market or eat at the food carts. I wanted to support startups, small business, local economy, and do everything to avoid big boxes and corporate chains.

Best laid plans.

Searching for a place to stay for two people that are not a couple is a bit of a chore, and it's nearly impossible on AirBnB. I had to look at each posting and click on the pictures to see if there is a fold out sofabed or cot or some other alternative arrangement. If I search for accommodation for three people I end up with a family size apartment that's way over my budget. Occasionally there are places with the right arrangement, but the place may not be available for all the dates, or the owner looks like a gansta or spacey hippie that hasn't logged in the site for a few days. Do I really want to stay on their property?

So I went back to the familiar. On Expedia, Hotels.com, Priceline.com, every hotel has a two-queen-bed standard room, and an 800 number I can call any time. Yeah, the rates are pretty good too.

And then there is the train. According to Amtrak website, for the two of us, round trip between San Jose and Portland, with a roomette, it'd set me back close to $1000. A rental car costs less than $200. The Chevy Impala we got was a gas guzzler at 25 mpg, after 1600 miles the total gas expense was less than $250. A lot of things we did, like going to the coast and visiting the campuses, we wouldn't have done without a car. We were very glad to have the options.

As for the farm fresh organic food, we hit quite a few food carts. I used an app, CartCompass, to find the nearest pod, then it switches to Google Maps for the directions. The food can be a hit and miss as well as seating, and it's outdoors of course. After a few days I caved and let Henry hit Subways and other familiar places, since I really needed Starbucks some afternoons to stay upright and alert. You can't beat the AC, a nice cool place to sit down while charging my phone, and free wifi so we can research our next destination.

We really enjoyed our trip, but sometimes I wonder if it's reasonable for me to insist on "doing it right", and why it's so hard to "do it right". After my years in bay area, I might have become one of the suburban car-centric Americans that can't live without supermarkets, coffee shops, and 24x7 customer service.

While we were on the road, my husband got a call one morning and was informed his position was eliminated, in fact, his entire group was disbanded. Six hours later on the same day he received an offer from a group he had been talking to (in the same company) with a job offer. I was happy to be away for those few hours and avoided all the drama. We are all extremely pleased the world worked its own magic.

A few days before we left Henry's transfer to a new high school was finalized after couple of weeks of intense negotiations. It's been a roller-coaster 8th grade year, especially the last few weeks. In the new school Henry will have a chance to enjoy playing music, continue to pursue his academic interests, start learning Chinese, and may even join the basketball team. This freshman will have a nice fresh start indeed.

If you are still reading this far, have a Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog, and leave me a comment!

Another Oldie: Tree of Life Afghan

Project:  Tree of Life Afghan
Pattern:  Tree of Life Afghan by Nicky Epstein, published by Lion Brand Yarn
Yarn:  Encore Worsted solid white
Yardage:  about 10 balls, 2000 yards
Needles: Size 8
Cast on: 2002
Cast off:  2004

Cost: about $50

Notes: Knitted this a decade ago (!) for my in-laws' 50th wedding anniversary. It was one of my first major cable projects, and I gave myself two years to finish it. Think I finished it with plenty of time to spare. Now that I remember, I'd better start planning something for their 60th coming up next year. 

The pattern looks complicated but was fairly easy to execute. The leaf border was a lot of fun to make.
Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog, Tami's blog, and leave me a comment!

New Yarn, New Hat

Who doesn't like getting a box of yarn in the mail?! From our very own Kathryn, who blogs at Kathryn's Brain (she's very brainy indeed), her Pay-it-Forward gift to me. It's three skeins of wool and mohair blend that she hand spun from Fiber Fanatic's fiber.  And did I mention it's NON-superwash? (See my griping about superwash wool in my Stitches Review.) There are 269 yards here, I think it's going to be a lofty scarf or shawl, I'm waiting for the right idea to hit me.

Pattern picture from Ravelry

Project: Ola My Man 老公

Pattern: Ola by Eric Peguero (free download on Ravelry)
Yarn: Knit Picks
Yardage: Less than 200 yards
Needles: Size 6
Cast on: February 26, 2013

Cast off: March 8, 2013

Cost: Stash yarn doesn't count

Notes: A few weeks ago this pattern was the hottest thing on Ravelry, because there is a naked man in the picture. (To see more naked man pictures, follow the pattern link and go to his blog entry.) Then my husband wanted a new hat, "blue with a little white on the edge", hmm, I think this is perfect. In the pictures my son modeled the hat, and no, he wasn't naked (when did I see that kid naked last? oh, never mind!)

Happy Friday! Join the party on Andrea's blog, Tami's blog, and leave me a comment!

(Almost) Seven Musical Facts

Monica, who blogs at Dumplings, Three, tagged me to write 7 random or weired facts about me. Monica is married to a bluegrass musician (see her extensive comment in my previous entry) and they adopted three beautiful Chinese children. Since this tag is stemmed from our association with music, I will try to gather a few music related facts:

1. When Bill plays music at night I have to either eat or write. I can't read or knit. I'll blame it on him if I have to buy bigger pants.
2. My dad is also an amateur musician. He played liuqin (Chinese string instrument similar to mandolin), violin and piano.
3. My dad tried to teach me liuqin when I was about six years old. We failed miserably and both swore never try again. We both kept our promises.
4. I meditate to Hayley Westenra, Andrea Bocelli or Dean Martin's singing.
5. I'm almost always moving my fingers in some manner -- typing, clicking the mouse, knitting, cooking, driving, writing notes, or stuffing my face.
6. I play Chinese songs on Youtube when I cook dinner.
7. I was told that learning music would help with math, so my math was equally bad. In high school I scored 29 out of 100 in a mid term test.

So, that's almost 7 facts about me and music. I won't tag the regulars, pick it up if you like!

Man of Love

This blog gets a few hits a day from Google searches for the Good Husband's Guide. Strangers (and friends) probably all think that I was capable of writing such a thing because I know just exactly how to sculpt a man into a good husband. The fact of the matter is, I do.

In our house I'm the one to make rules and tell the boys what to do. I tell them when they are wrong, and what's good for them. I cook the food they eat, and they are not to complain. When the dogs misbehave, I make the human boys quiet the animal noise. When the human child needs help with his homework, I tell the Man it's his turn to exercise parental rights.

The fact of the matter is, I can get away with all this. Because the Man has a big heart.

This very tall man tends the smallest creatures, little dogs, and hermit crabs.

The same man that plays basketball and writes poetry.

The mountain biker that enjoys Mama Mia and Sound of Music.

The man that can't figure out how shorten the straps of his backpack, but knows his knits and purls.

The man that lives in jeans and T shirts, who bought better clothes for me than I ever did myself.

The man that watched a young woman stumble her way in a new country, lending his hands at every turn.

He is Libra and I am Gemini. His balances hold my angel and devil in place. His patience tames my tantrum. His logic diverts my impulse. He is the safety net for a wondering butterfly, the Stonehenge that keeps a hot air balloon solidly aground.

Today is the Man's birthday. I am the luckiest woman in the world.

Oh Hello Dad

We learned to hold a baby in Lamaze class over nine years ago -- always support the neck.

Does this position make Bucky look fat?

The Husband got me

Not what you think, well, maybe. He jokingly suggested that I should write down a list of things that I don't like, sort of reflect and acknowledge kind of thing. So I did, to show him that he fits in a few of the things listed. Now I see how crazy some of the stuffs sound when it's all written down. Poor man has to live with a grumpy ol' wife .......