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Sunny and warm, but not too much. Very windy.

Too tired, I did not go out yesterday. I could see the trees swaying in the wind and thought, That’s just too much like work.
I did go out today and it was a perfect day for biking, save for the wind. Many other people thought so as well. Why are so many of them so bad at it and why do so many women insist on biking the wrong direction on a one-way street? Delivery guys I can understand; they at least know what they are doing.
Who has the right-of-way, the cyclist running the red light or the cyclist biking the wrong way?
Today’s stats: 20.8 miles in 1:50. Most of the trip seemed to be into the NW wind.

Sunny, in the mid-sixties, with a cool breeze

This is the route of today’s bike ride—probably the last one of my 52^nd year, given the forecast for the next two days. The weather was near perfect, though I do like it when the wind is calm. While averaging 10.7 mph, it seems to me that I spent an inordinate amount of time waiting on stoplights.

My employee gave his two-weeks notice on Wednesday, leaving for a better opportunity. While I wish him luck, I’m a bit pissed about the timing. I’ve had to cut two or three days out of my week-long birthday vacation in order to catch up on all the tasks I’ve assigned to him over the past few years. It will be the first time in over twenty years I have worked any one day this week.

I used to take this week off to goof off and party in a very understated way, that is, with no one else. It was a good week to get a tattoo or piercing before summer. In some years I also took the week off to avoid biting anyone’s head off at work, particularly for the 39^th, 40^th, 45^th, 49^th and 50^th birthdays. Getting older makes me crabby. This year I just wanted to goof off alone and with J for a week. And with the loud and annoying Little Monster.

For some reason, the weather almost always seems to suck this week.

I’ve got an eye appointment on Monday and J is going with me to get new frames on Tuesday. I’m assuming that looking at frames on Monday with my eyes dilated will be less than optimal. I’m seriously considering changing frames for the first time in fifteen years or so. I’ve had three pair sequentially with the same frames. I’m not buying anything that makes me look older, though.

I’m probably picking up an iPad this weekend too. Or I might wait until next weekend and get the 3G model. But everyone says that 3G in NYC is a waste of money; you can never connect, so I might be getting WiFi sooner.

I’m working on a baby blanket for said soon-to-be-ex-employee. I thought I had a month or so to work on it, but now I have only a week. Wunderbar. I have also been swatching for J’s sweater. I’ve settled on a design, but I still need measurements.

Cloudy, breezy and cool.

I got in 19¼ miles anyway.

Sunny, but cool. Not windy though, so it will be fine for biking.

You should have Queen stuck in your head now: “I want to ride my bicycle. I want to ride my bike.”

This thing is light and fast. I can lift it with one hand and biking into the wind requires nowhere near the effort needed on the old Raleigh street bike. I’m taking it out as soon as I finish this post.

I’m waiting for the yarn for J’s sweater, so I have only my office knitting on the needles now: a baby blanket knit in the round using Elizabeth Zimmerman’s formula of 7 paired yarn-overs every four rounds. The yarn is Fiesta Yarns Boomerang in Safari. In the picture I am switching from a 32″ circ to a 60″ circ; hence the two needles. The center was bit pointy and I too it out and reknit it. It still sticks up a bit and imay have to re-reknit it if it doesn’t flatten with blocking. [Ravelry ⇒]

Clear and cool

Well, at least that is done. Every year I wait until the penultimate day to do my taxes and, at least since I got this mortgage, I’ve gotten a refund. Still I procrastinate.

Jury duty was a wash. I did not get called and the Brooklyn Central Jury Room provides free wifi access. Only one other person was knitting. Everyone else was wasting his/her opportunity.

The three yarns I have tried out for J’s sweater so far have panned out. The Queensland Collection Kathmandu DK and the Lana Grossa Royal Tweed both were too rustic for what we both want in a sweater, but might make a nice winter cap.The Lana Grossa Cashtweed only produced an acceptable fabric on 4mm needles, instead of the recommended 6mm, and would have been prohibitively expensive, particularly relative to the gansey that I just finished. I’m waiting for a couple of yarns from WEBS that he might like the look of and I might tolerate knitting. If those don’t work then he gets to visit some more LYS’s.

And I’m waiting for a new bike to come in. I will be able to lift it with one hand. All drag contributed to my ride will be contributed solely by my excess avoirdupois.

Dark now, but it was a perfect day.

Second sleeve completed. I haven’t done the math yet for the collar; that will have to wait for tomorrow.

Because a blog needs pictures, here are my Malabrigo socks. And my knees. Everyone should see my knees.

Those were tired calves too. I got in 18.6 miles on the bike in an hour-forty.

The city put in a new bi-directional bike path on Kent Avenue and made the street one-way northbound. Every moron in Williamsburgh seems to think it is a great place to stroll or unload the car into. It’s a lane of traffic, people. Just because it’s painted green doesn’t mean it’s grass and you can have your picnic there. Kent Avenue is ruined for biking on the weekend.

Beautifully sunny and mild

The cat and I just got back from the vet. She’s in good health and cute too, apparently. She put up surprising little fuss, but now that we are home she’s yowling her head off because J didn’t come back with us—he went shopping instead. What a drama queen.
On today’s agenda is a bike ride in this fabulous weather; ripping back the sleeves and reknitting them with more frequent decreases, per Ted’s suggestion; laundry; and continuing to ponder whether I should wait for the 3G iPad or dive in now.
I finished a pair of socks in Malabrigo Sock. Pictures maybe later when they are dry. I knit them on 2.25mm (US 1) dpn’s. On examination of the finished product, I think that the yarn calls for 2.00mm or even 1.75mm. I also need to remind myself to knit longer heel flaps next time should I use bird-of-paradise stitch. It stretches more laterally than lengthwise.
Will that cat ever shut up?