Angelas Diner

Since today was so warm, and I had so much gardening to do, I decided to stop and buy more plants and spend even more time gardening.  I wanted to go traditional for the front this year (that’s why I started so many marigolds and zinnias) so I have pots with geraniums and petunias.  Here’s a close up shot of pots, can you see C3PO and R2D2 down in my garden there?  I got them years ago at the flea market, and they’ve been out front ever since.  a small geeky touch!

I love posting stuff on Craigslist.  Today, I’ve been cleaning out and rearranging my jewelry studio (also known by my family as the Craft Room, and it’s lately been the Crap Room.)  I went to Ikea yesterday and got a bookshelf and a desk….and I’m getting rid of a pine shelf and moving the loveseat out too.

Anyways, so Mark and I made the bookshelf, and I moved all the books over to it.  That left me with a pine shelf to get rid of.  I posted it on craigslist, and it was gone out of my driveway in 30 minutes.  30 MINTUES!!! A lady in a green minivan stopped and put it in the van, and I noted the time.  Went back online to see when it hit CL, and it was EXACTLY 30 minutes from when I had posted it!

Here is a pic of it - I deleted the post, since I’m a considerate free item lister….this made my day!

I’ve decided to knit myself a sweater.  This is a big deal.  For a few reasons.  First, I don’t generally knit things that have to “fit.”  I knit hats, scarves, half of a sock, that sort of thing.  I DID knit sweaters for the kids when they were small, but that is easy stuff - little kids don’t care if a sweater hangs a little crookedy.  OH, I have knit some tiny sweaters for friends who are having babies too - and they come out fine.  Again, it’s the “kid” thing - they don’t have to be perfect because you know the baby will just puke on them, and they’ll have to go into the wash.

So, for me to knit myself a sweater, well, that’s an adventure.  I was inspired by a sale.  There’s a great yarn site, Elann, and they had a sale on yarn so I got some. Here’s the yarn swatches I knit:

I just scanned them, didn’t feel like getting the camera out.  So, after I bought the yarn, I went looking for a sweater pattern.  THAT was an adventure.  I pored over the free patterns on Knitty, looked at Berrocco, Bernat, all different sites.  NOTHING caught my eye that used yarn in the same weight as this one.  SO, on the way to the gallery last weekend to work, I stopped in a yarn shop in Charlestown, RI near Rt. 1, where Rt. 2 hits Rt. 1.

Got a book:

AND found a great little raglan pattern:

So, I’m good to go!  Did my swatches last night to check my gauge, and now I know I have to go out and buy bamboo needles in size 10 and size 8 since I only have metal needles in that size (and I hate knitting on metal needles cuz my stitches always slide right off!)

We’ll see how long this takes me - how often do i make anything for myself anyways?

My oldest was on the SECOND PLACE TEAM in RI for Academic Decathalon yesterday.  And today her picture was on the front page of the second section of the ProJo…. fun!

Now that I’m home, I can post more photos and even the map of my explorations last weekend.

View Larger Map

 Where did she go anyways?

she went here!

but, where is here?

oh, hey, that’s the Museum of Natural History! You know, where there are Dinosaurs…

and sea cows (for you, Marisa!)

 and then, after she visited here (well after she visits everywhere) she eats incredibly good pastries and goes to bed feeling like THIS GUY!!

Thanks to “the hares” who wrote this post for me today as I am just exhausted from working!

Sunday was a great relaxing day.  I woke up after 9am which is incredible for me!  Enjoyed the hotel breakfast, and watched the rain fall outside.  It rained or was grey and cloudy all day. My first stop on the Helsinki relaxation day was the University Botanical garden greenhouses - or Glass Houses, as they were translated on the signs.  I spent quite a bit of time stopping, looking at plants, and then sitting by the lily pond.  The “sun lights” that the plants need were also a help to combat the greyness of the day.  I’ll show you some photos here of the glass houses and plants, and then, a little guy will be the last photo-can you guess where else I went on Sunday?  (he’s the hint!!)

Where did I go next?  this little guy knows!

I spent most of the day yesterday shopping - and following ideas given to me by three great online friends (two from Etsy, one from the ALR list).  I started my Saturday in Senate Square looking up the Cathedral through the grey mist (photo 1).  Then, across the street, the BEST shops! Talo, I’m planning on going back again after work this week.  The handmade things in there are WONDERFUL; I found a great gift for Sam there.  Then, I began walking all around, taking photos, and shopping, and admiring Finnish art and craft work too.  I’m going to write more about my weekend over the course of the week (otherwise, I’d have nothing to write about except work, and I can’t write about THAT!)

So, enjoy these first pictures from Saturday, and I’ll write more over the next few days while I am in Helsinki!

I worked all day and into the night - I did make sure and spend some time enjoying lunch and dinner today though! First, I had a wonderful lunch at the cafe right across from my hotel. I SHOULD take some pictures of the food, but then, that is just WEIRD to do.  I enjoyed the most luscious piece of cheesecake I have ever had - so light, and so creamy, omg!

Then, paused work long enough to shop at Stockmann’s and go to Memphis.  Memphis?  It’s right around the corner, and while I was in there eating my cheeseburger and drinking some kind of Finnish alcohol with lime, it started snowing.  Now, the cool thing about that is, the street near my hotel is HEATED (according to my friend Jeff who was here for a long time working) so, here are some pics from today.  First, you can see Memphis, and then, for Sam, there’s a shot of the McDonald’s sign.  After that, pay close attention to where the snow STOPS - the sidewalks are always clear there.

Still working, wanting to finish stuff up so that I can have a REAL weekend here and be outdoors and sightsee, shop, all the touristy things! FUN!

I have been listening to Finnish Top 40.  Now, those of you who know me, also know I am NOT a top40 person.  Lucky for me I have the iPod and listen to that most of the time.  But, the fancy clock radio needs a radio station for an alarm.  This morning I woke up to top40 - that HAD to change……. so I am back from dinner, and I am googling for a good station.  I saw one that looked good, 101.8, and was dialing it up - when, can you imagine! The Rolling Stones singing “Angie.” Have to keep it there, even though the signal is a tad bit noisy since the station is not out of Helsinki but some other town north of here.  But at least I know I can wake up happy tomorrow!

I went out last night and tonight and took some night pictures.  Get used to that.  I am in the office when there is light out.  So, make do, and take a look at what I saw:

the first is esplanadi park at night, the next two are some “guys” near the Kamp Galleria Mall, then, the place where I could not get a table for dinner (everywhere you need a reservation!! even just for one!!), then, when I finally did find a place to eat I ended up being seated near the kitchen.  BUT, the meal was great — chicken with gorgonzola and sage butter on pappardale pasta with some tomato.   whew, have to do a couple more things for work, and then hit the sack as I know tomorrow morning will come so quickly!