HELLO

I've moved here: http://colamanknits.wordpress.com/

THINGS

I finally finished my friend's throw. This is it drapped over the back of one of her chairs. I didn't have time to lay it flat out to photograph it. I literally washed, dried and took it out to her. She was very happy with it, especially since she wasn't feeling well and was happy to wrap up in it.



This is where I am with my throw/afghan. I'm about half way through with it now.

Starting with this photo, these are some things that I've purchased over the past several months. The lastest edition to Tales Of The City (even though Armistead Maupin says it isn't) is a nice addition to my non-knitting library. It was nice to catch up with Michael Tolliver. I surely hope that the other books are made into movies before the original cast are not available to ever make the movies. Such a wonderful series of books and movies.

I love hot tea and was very happy to come across and order the Tea Cozy book. I haven't knitted anything from it yet, but look forward to it.

Do you think socks are on my horizon? :-)

I've had this book for several months, but have never photograph it and put it on my blog. There are several projects in it that I would like to make; especially the throw. I think some of the models are quite cute.

I love Alton Brown and please excuse me for being so forward, but I would do him in a New York minute. That aside, I love his show on Food Network and am glad to add these DVD's to my cooking library.



I have the One Voice Streisand concert on video tape that I bought when it orginally came out, but was very happy to add the DVD version to my Barbra collection. She taped an introduction for the DVD as kind of a look back at the event she taped in her backyard at her Malibu home at the time. It's reported that The Broadway Album video Barbra did when she was recording The Broadway Album will be released on DVD and for some REALLY great news, there is a VERY good chance that Yentl will be released on DVD this year. I'm doing the happy dance with this news. If you're a Streisand fan, check out Matt's website devoted to her. He does podcast as well as video cast about his news that he gets about her. He also has vintage Streisand photos. Check it out.


Years ago, a friend of mine introduced me to the movie, Shirley Valentine. I love this movie. I never bought the movie on video and I thought they would never release it on DVD. I'm so happy they did.

I've always liked the movie, Making Love. I was always more attracted to Michael Ontkean than Harry Hamlin. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't kick Harry out of bed, but Michael was the one that got my motor running, especially when the movie first came out and my late teenage hormones were raging!! I do have to say, in Harry's defense, that he looked quite good in his red, very short shorts. Too bad that we, as men, wear shorts down to our knees now. Show me some nice hairy thighs and legs anyday!

I've been a fan of Michael C. Hall ever since Six Feet Under. I don't have Showtime, but heard good things about his new show called Dexter. I bought season one when it came out on DVD. I love this show and recommend it.

I went to see La Vie En Rose when it came to the movie art house here in Columbia. I've always liked the music of Edith Piaf, but had no idea she had such a bad childhood and would be mostly in bad health as an adult (some due to her doing). That aside, the movie is beautifully filmed with an excellent cast. I also bought the soundtrack in which the film uses Edith's recordings, but remastered.

I love disco and the music of The Village People. I think it's just such happy music. I own another Best of Village People CD, but this one has several 12" versions of some of the songs. I don't understand why a lot of people don't like Disco, I say, long live Disco!!!!

I own another copy of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert, but this special edition one came out a few months ago. It really pisses me off that you buy a movie and then a few months if not a few years later, they come out with a special edition one.

Lost Language of Cranes is another movie that I originally bought on video and was very happy when it came out on DVD after several years. I love me some Corey Parker.

Noah's Arc is a series that came on the Logo Network. Since Time Warner here in Columbia doesn't carry that network, I didn't know anything about this series until I read about it. It's a pretty good series that has a lot of camp in it. Don't get me wrong, I like camp and it blends in well with the story lines. Unfortunately, the series wasn't renewed after the second season. Season One extras has frontal nudity in it as Season Two extras doesn't.

Well, dear ones, that's it for this post. I hope that everyone enjoyed their holidays and looking forward to a happy 2008. Let's hear it for a Democratic president this year!!!!

As Barbra sang in one of her early recordings, "Happy Days Are Here Again"!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!

SHOPPING AND KNITTING

A little over a month ago I decided to get a new computer. My old desktop only had 7.48 GB of hardrive space (I bought it in '98) and it was all but gone. I had to start removing programs that I used just to make sure the Operating System worked properly. After some debate, I bite the bullet and decided to go with a laptop. It is definately SWEET!!



Yes, I was on Ravelry when I took this photo.



On black Friday, Joann's Fabrics had this Ott-Lite Stand Lamp on sale for half-price. Plus I have a friend that works there and she was able to get me an additonal 20 percent with her employee discount. I got a very good deal on it.





It gives off amazing light and makes it less strain on the eyes; especially if you happen to be working with a dark-colored yarn.

Today, I went out and invested in a tri-pod. It's amazing what a steady "hand" can do when taking a picture, lol.

Here I am in all my fatness working on my friend's chevron throw. I would say that I'm about 75 percent through with it. I've made up my mind that I will lose this weight. I'm starting to feel bad and it LOOKS bad on me. I'll never get a husband looking like this, lol!!

Here it is spread out.



This is a throw that I started for myself so that I can use up my stash and probably then some. It's 50 rows garter stitch and then two rows of dropped stitches, repeated. I need to start weaving in the ends so there won't be so many to do when I'm finish.



Here's a close up of the dropped stitches.


I have a question and I hope that someone who happens to come across it will know the answer. Why is it that on one or two of your pictures you can click on it to enlarge it, but the others won't? Does Blogger put a cap on that or something?

Well, that's all for today. Take care.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER - PART 2

The street off of where I was staying is the Rue de Rivoli. If you take a left onto it and walk for about five minutes, you start to see the top of the Place de la Bastille monument. If you look in the top center of the photo you can see the top.

Of course the Bastille prison is no longer there, but the monument is quite something to behold.

Coming out of the Metro and walking down one side of the Louvre, I came across this statue. It's one of Jeanne d'Arc. I walked over and got a closer look and picture.

I've read that there are several monuments dedicated to her throughout Paris.


Looking diagonally across from the statue is one small section of the Louvre. As many of you know, it's HUGE.

Looking a little more to the right.

Walking along, you can start to see the glass pyramid that's in front of the museum. It's in the middle/forground of the picture behind the trees.



Of course, the glass pyramid.





Looking to the right of the pyramid, another section of the Louvre. Two people enjoying the early April sunshine.



I thought it was interesting the way the sun was reflecting off of the pyramid onto the building.

More of Paris to come.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER - PART 1

Okay, I'm finally getting around to showing some of my pictures that I took while I was in my dream city of Paris. I finally have my scanner hooked back up and with my new lap-top, I felt that it was time. James, sorry it took so long!

First view of Notre Dame as I'm standing on one of the many bridges that cross over the Seine. I didn't notice it until after I had the pictures developed, but I love the way the red dress on the lady sets against the other colors in the photo.

Standing on the same bridge; just at a different angle.

This is one of the boats that you can get on to take a cruise down the Seine. I decided not to as I was on a mission to see Notre Dame.

Once I left the bridge, I walked down one of the streets that is behind the chruch. I love the way the greenery hangs over the wall.

Coming up to another bridge that takes you over to the church. You really can't tell in this photo, but there was a lot of people on the bridge. Some man was performing one-man musical numbers to get money. Speaking of musical numbers, one time when I was underground going to the Metro, there was this male violinist playing some of the most beautiful music I think I've ever heard. I tipped him quite well from what I remember.

Once you cross over the bridge, you're pretty much at Notre Dame. Of course, this is the back of the church. I think I was just as impressed with the back as I was with the front.

Just another view.

Off to the side, there's an area that you can sit and rest or just watch people.

After leaving the back, I walked down one side of it. Above you can see some of the many gargoyles that are a part of the church. From what I've read, they're decorative ways to run the rain water off of the roof of the chruch.

Of course this is the front.


The front, taking further back.

On the knitting front, I'm still working on my afghan/throw for my friend, plus I've started one for myself so that I can use up some of my yarn stash. More pictures of Paris to follow.

I'M IN

I received my Ravelry invitation a couple of hours ago. I haven't added much to it yet. My name there is colamanknits.

NEW STUFF

I've been shopping. I've been wanting to try out the Knit Picks Options Interchangeable set, so I bought them. Just three words...I LOVE them!!. The set comes with (from top-left to right): knitting needles sizes (U. S.) 4 - 11, a set of bags (3 bags with 2 in each one), a case to keep everything in and 24 inch and 32 inch cables (two per bag). The cable bags also has the key thingy to secure the cable to the needle and some rounds things that you can screw into the ends of the cables if you wanted to use them as straight needles.

I also bought the 40 inch and 60 inch cables. Again, there are two cables per bag.

This is a new afghan/throw that I'm making for a friend. I'm using my new options needles (40 inch one) and they're working like a charm. This is a Chevron pattern. It's king of hard to see the zig-zag effect until you add a contrasting yarn. I'll show another picture of the progress once that is added. It's going to be done in blocks of this color and the contrasting color shown in the last picture.

It's kind of hard to see the actual colors of the variegated yarn in this picture. The pictures were taken at night, using a flash. The two sets of colors remind me of fall colors.

I may be going out to dinner this evening at Red Robin with a couple of friends and then working on the throw later this evening. The weather is nice in the evenings and mornings now. Fall is on it's way and I'm really looking forward to it. This summer was horrible with the 106 degree(F) weather for a couple of weeks. Add the humidity to that and it was around 110. The rest of the summer was in the 90's. Enjoy your weekend.