Happy Trails and an Early Resolution

It's finally happened. I have TA'd my last class ever! Grades were turned in today, and I happily say I am ecstatic to never ever repeat said job again. It's not that I don't like teaching or that the students are bad. I just prefer to work alone, and hopefully at least as a newbie professor, I will be able to! My professor did give me a lovely birthday/final TA gift, Classic Elite Montero! The color is more like a light lavender.



I've already searched for patterns to make a hat and gloves with this. I'd really love some input. Which patterns do you think will look best in this yarn?

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I had a super busy week last week!

First I had to grade exams on Tuesday, I had a meeting about a new dissertation topic, and I finalized my topic for my Classics MA.

Wednesday was my birthday- the big 2-8! My mom sent me Lace Style, fresh baked peanut butter cookies wrapped in twos, a cute bear-themed card, and another musical Twilight Zone card. That same day I also received my blog contest prizes from Fine Martial Fiber. From my friends I also got a huge package of Tetley tea imported from England, an Amsterdam pop-up pocket map, a squid wire whisk from Paris, and heart-shaped cookies! Lots of birthday cheer spread over several days can't be beat:)Thank to all my friends in blogland too who wished me felicitations!

Thursday we had a blizzard, but still went out for my birthday dinner at Kartabar.

Friday was my last Greek class for the semester, Kaffeestunde (couldn't miss German Christmas carols...kling, Gloekchen, klingalingaling...), a departmental Christmas party, and a bit of knitting.

Saturday I had a Christmas Brunch with the girls, seminar paper research, final papers to grade, a wee spot of knitting, and a Christmas party with some friends from SnB (Jake, Jenna, and Danyelle). I had a pretty bad allergic reaction to the cat at the party, and had to get a taxi home after only being there 30 minutes or so. As my friend Amelia would say, LAAAAMMMME! But turning lemons into lemonade, I was able to fix some terribly wonky short row heels I had knit earlier in the evening.

What a freakishly busy week. I'm such a homebody too:) I should also point out that I actually declined to go to something like 5 other party/gatherings! Sheesh! Holiday time is exhausting.

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Seneca. Today I finished looking up all the references to allegiance in Seneca's Medea, Phaedra, and Trojan Woman as well as Euripides' Medea, Hippolytus, and Trojan Women. Now the fun starts. I have to figure out why the allegiances switch in the Roman versions of the plays. Please, god,let there be textual similarities! The plan is to finish this paper (10-15 pages needed) tomorrow so that I can depart from Providence with only a few Greek photocopied texts, my middle Liddel, and my Ambrose brick. I do not want to spend the next month working!!! Unless it's knitting...

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That brings me to my knitting updates and New Year's Resolution. I am moving right along on my Whimzy Pinzy Toe-Up Socks. After noticing that each skein of the Tippy Toes gets pretty good yardage, I decided today to make anklets with picot edging. I think I will have enough yarn to do two from one skein! Then I can use the other skein with some solid black for the toes and heel to knit another pair of anklets! Amazing! Here are some pictures of my progress. Check out that lovely yarn forward short row heel! I don't think I will ever wrap again!






As for my New Year's Resolution...the rotating was sabotaged by Christmas knitting. Knitting which I can honestly say will not actually make it to the recipients. Some people were naughty, others have strange phobias, and one of my yarns has decided to run out in about 30 rows. So here I am pondering my knitting strategy as I see countless people (namely Jake and Katy) cranking out lovely items week after week at SnB. I think I have discovered their secret. Mwah ha ha ha (sorry it's late and I've been reading Latin and Greek all day!). Don't start so many freakin' projects! So with that pearl of wisdom, I am taking to Wisconsin all my WIPS that are feasibly finishable over a one month span. Two sweaters, two hats, four pairs of socks, and one mystery project. To encourage my new resolution, here is a picture of a washcloth I finished in the Athens airport in July. I was so much more efficient before Ravelry. Well, clearly that isn't true (there's a reason I had to start rotating after all), but I need some kind of scapegoat to explain how I can have 12 WIPs at once:)


Forks ahoy! Until next time...