1. Six inches of ribbing is about five inches too many. I’m about to mutiny on my new project at 5 1/2 inches in.

2. I tried a new brownie recipe tonight and it fell short of the mark. Probably my own fault for overbaking, but still annoying.

Better luck tommorrow.

Luckily, the prof owns an ancient digital camera (this thing is OLD–the little symbols on the dial appear to be actual hieroglyphics, and I think I’ve seen a photo of Darwin using the same camera) which should be able to supply the (let’s face it, pretty modest) picture demands of this blog. Or I could try to learn to take iPhone camera pictures that don’t look like stills from a covert surveillance videotape. So many choices!

Next up: how I walked out of a yarn-shop holding $80 worth of Sea Silk. Without paying for it. And why I don’t deserve to be arrested.

Pattern: Vesper by Heidi Kirrmaier (available as a free Ravelry download)

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy in color 013 rose red, about 5 skeins

Needles: Addi Lace 32″ US5, Addi 12″ US1 (sleeves only), a few random Knitpicks Harmony DPNs (for pleats only)

My apologies for the terrible photography, but this is my rendition of Vesper. I relied heavily on roko’s modifications (and check out the rest of her knitting, it’s fantastic), but added some twists of my own. In case you’re interested, here’s what I did:

• CO 384 sts
• Knit 16 box pleats into neckline (and one into each sleeve) using roko’s excellent tutorial–meaning on my sweater there are no stitches in between pleats
• Made sleeves a touch longer
• Waist shaping added to front side only
• Rolled stockinette edge at neckline, armholes, and hem

I am really enjoying wearing this, although the back neckline is a little wide. I also enjoyed learning the Russian join for this project. And the wine was good too.

And seriously? Who eats a box of dryer sheets?? What about that seemed appetizing to you? You didn’t eat the sheets, just the box. Scented cardboard is now your idea of a delicacy? The garlic bread I could understand. But why unwrap my candy thermometer? Do you have a secret taffy-making plan of which I am unaware? And chewing up the Prof’s basketball tickets was just mean.

Straighten up and fly right, or you may find that you are an outdoor-only dog. I’m not foolin’. Don’t test me.

Last time I stayed at my father’s house I slept under this beauty. It is completely hand-pieced and hand-quilted. I can only hope to make something like it someday.

In other news, please think good thoughts for my Grannymo, who is recuperating in the hospital right now.

Many of her comments bear repeating, but she said one thing that really struck a chord with me, perhaps because we just covered gender discrimination in Con Law: women today have largely forgotten how much more difficult things were for women only a generation ago. And we have forgotten that we could lose all the gains that our mothers and grandmothers made.

Feminism has become an outmoded idea in American social and political life, and that is deeply unfortunate. If we women blind ourselves to the oppressive conditions of the past, we will never see the inequities that still persist, and we will be powerless to work against them. Perhaps worst of all, we will demonstrate a sad ingratitude to all the women who blazed the trails for us, so that we might walk an easier road than they did.

Back to the knitting tomorrow, folks.

10:48 p.m. Cheer wildly.

11:20 p.m. Post new Facebook status: “so happy. so proud.”

It’s very satisfying to build things, even simple ones like this. Especially since we were able to use salvaged wood from our soon- to- be demolished deck.