I love NPR

Usually I listen to an audiobook in the car - I do up to an hour driving on the days I have to commute so I can knock out quite a few books that are difficult reads this way. Today I didn't have anything that I particularly wanted to listen to so I turned on NPR. Love NPR.

This morning they interviewed John Banville, a Booker-prize winning literary author who recently published The Silver Swan, a truly excellent crime noir novel, under the pseudonym Benjamin Black. Fascinating to hear the author's voice reading his work.

Then this evening, they gave an update on the Amazon.com writing contest I was a semi-finalist in. I was weeded out months ago, and today it was announced that Fresh Kills came out as winner. I just pre-purchased - I know it'll be excellent - the competition was stiff after all ;)

Finally - another airing of a story that makes me cringe every time. Today it was announced that Gene Weingarten won a Pulitzer Prize for Pearls before Breakfast, his feature in the Washington Post describing what happened when he convinced world-class violinist Joshua Bell to play beautiful music in a Metrorail station to gauge commuters' reaction. From all I've read on the experiment since both Bell and Weingarten were somewhat surprised by the lack of recognition of the pearls by us swine. Yes, I was one of the 1,070 people who scurried past. In fact - you can see me on the accompanying video of the whole experiment: I was wearing the same jacket I had on today. I remember the day in question: I noticed the violinist because he wasn't standing where the buskers usually stand...and that's about all I noticed. I usually walk up the escalators and always have my ipod on. What can I say?
Oink...

Hmm

So, I was very excited about my new socks...but after wearing them all day yesterday I couldn't wait to get them off. Too too warm. And itchy. I'm not allergic - it's just not cold enough for handknit socks in springtime Washington DC. But, constant readers will recall that I've fairly been stashing the sock yarn...so like I said
Hmm.

I think I remember seeing a pattern for a mitre-square blanket, made with sock yarn leftovers, this might be the way to go :(

Another pair of socks

Finished!

Picture of my gaily clad feet.
Yarn: Schaefer Anne
Needles: Size 0 Bamboo
Pattern: Cable Rib - Interweave Knits Favorite Socks.

10 days from winding to wearing - not bad eh :)

Stitch n Pitch!

Way back last century when I met the young lad who would one day become Mr. Needle-dee, I was a most-unamericanised Irish lass. One of his passions was baseball, about which I knew 2 things. 1. Babe Ruth 2. the phrase 'home run'. That's it. And as far as I knew babe ruth was some kind of cheerleader. When we started dating in the US* one of the first places we went was to Veteran's Stadium in Philadelphia to see the Phillies** play the St. Louis Cardinals***.
Anyhoo, the home team won, and my love affair with the game began. Also my rather one-sided love affair with certain players, but mostly just with the fun of it all, outside on a summer's day, all the stats, the stories, the $7 beers...

And now, two of my great loves are together at last - Stitch n Pitch!
The closest games are:
Nationals June 20 ****
Orioles July 19
Phillies August 5 *****

I'm also posting this on the Ravelry board - but who's up for for it??

*I met him in Ireland, long story
** A pretty shockin team at the time, but they won that game
***This was 1996. Why yes, I do still have the ticket stub
**** in the snazzy new stadium
*****2 days before my birthday :)

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival

Planning to go along on the Sunday. This year minus DS and plus comfy shoes. And plus big shopping bag :)

Anyone want to meet up?