Fry time

Almost forgot to update: Mama Molly (the fish) let loose with a new batch of a couple dozen fry last weekend. Probably more. Can't count darting little slivers of fishiness very easily. Seriously, these fish need a new hobby other than sex.

My offer to provide you with entertaining fishies still stands, people. All you have to do is speak up.

Anyone?

Bueller?

The shameless plug

I'm only going to run the big ad once - promise - so listen up:

Tickets are now available for the twelve (12!) performances of Eagan Community Theater's production of Fiddler on the Roof. Call the Box Office at 651.683.6964 between the hours of 1:00 and 4:00 pm weekdays to reserve yours.While the rest of the Twin Cities was enjoying a glorious summer day today, we had our first tech/dress rehearsal. For a first run-thru, it went very smoothly. I wish I could watch "Tevye's Dream" from the house - amazing costumes!

If you're able to come (and I hope you can), let me know which performance you'll be at so I can say hi. Thanks for listening.

OMV

A crochet pattern for all your fertility needs... meet Venus.

Hoo boy.

Bang

As I sit in my living room at the onset of the holiday weekend, this is what runs through my head: I'm all for celebrations and patriotic displays and pyrotechnics in general, but I get a little edgy in the summertime when everyone and their brother is lighting Roman candles in the alley all night. Call me crazy, but black powder sounds like gun powder. Dial 911, or no? Sigh.

(Good lord, I sound like an old woman - "Crazy kids, get off my lawn" and all that. Oy.)

Weeeds

This very cute - and very FREE - knitting pattern comes from Anna at Mochimochiland. Go here to download the pdf file, then make as many as you like - the neighbors won't mind one bit.

Kidlet saw me open the email announcement and went absolutely ape for these little guys. She has seen it her mission this year to help dandies propagate, much to the chagrin of Grammy's association's lawn maintenance crew...

The b!tch is back

Greetings, fellow travelers! Three weeks have passed, and much has transpired. Here are the Cliff Notes to get you back up to speed:

• Had an audition and two callbacks at the beginning of the month, and was cast as Golde in Eagan Community Theater's production of Fiddler on the Roof. Last played this role [coughtwentysevenyearsagocough] at Winnequah Middle School. We have been rehearsing e v e r y night - but they didn't schedule me tonight. WOOT! Come see it. We have a lovely air-conditioned auditorium...
• St. Paul's Choir threw one heckuva spring gala, complete with a brand new (for us) grand piano and a huge Abba singalong; the songs from which are slowly leaving my brain.
• The school year ended, another batch of 18-year-olds was released onto an unsuspecting world, and the parade of graduation open houses began.
• Animal world update: mollies, mollies, mollies. Oh, and baby snails at J's place. Heh heh heh. AND Mom and Dad adopted the little orphaned kitten they found under their front step one morning. Dad tried to name him Emil (pronounced EE-mull. I know - he was vetoed). Their "mature" cat, Lily, is tolerating him mildly.
• IT"S BEEN HOT AS HADES AND HUMID AS... HADES.
• My summer voice studio is up and running. There is a part of my Taurean nature that loves a structured schedule.
  
• Knitting a little pink sweater during rehearsals and shifts at El Yarnery. It's the twin sister to the little blue sweater previously posted. Photos to come.

So that brings us to my rehearsal-free evening. And how did I spend it? Combing area thrift stores for "black or brown ankle boots with little to no heel". Gar.

Mollies, mollies everywhere

If they were insects or rodents, we'd have a serious issue on our hands.As it stands, all is well.

Perspective

-- rant alert -- rant alert --

OK, I love reading Heather Armstrong's blog - she is the queen of snarky mamahood. Today, though, she hit on one of my pet peeves.

You know how a mobile hangs above a baby's crib to distract and stimulate them, comfort them when their grownups' faces aren't hovering above? Someone please tell my WHY people insist on manufacturing mobiles that are visually pleasing ONLY to the ambulatory adults in the room? This mobile, installed over Dooce's new crib, WILL LOOK LIKE TINY ROTATING LINES TO THE BABY. Hello, edges of paper? Not so engaging.

Face 'em down, people. This is all I ask.

Summer with a Twist

The summer issue of The Twist Collective is up and running.

Beautiful patterns, goodness from Franklin's pen - what more could you want?

A little cush for your tush

This summer let your patio proclaim, "A knitter lives here."

Click to enter The Knitted Chairs project.

Free things

Happy Shop Hop weekend! The weather here in the Twin Cities has been perfect for a good meander, drive, picnic - pretty much whatever your heart has desired.

Paperless patterns
Head over to Knitting Daily's website for downloadable bundles of five sock patterns and seven lace patterns. A quick registration (if you haven't already), and you're set. Offer ends soon, I'm assuming, so get 'em while the gettin's good.

Aquatic adoption
Auntie Audi has a friend who is relocating and couldn't take the livestock with her. Audi made a mercy call, and two hours later she and two coolers arrived at my apartment where Kidlet and I opened our door to a school of mollies: two ginormous adults, and about 50 fry of varying ages. All to prevent the untimely flushing of innocent fishies. I. am. such. a. sucker.

Anyone want a fish or five?

The magnificent seven

OK, so in my humble and "unbiased" opinion, it's more like the magnificent bride and six bridesmaids...

The Twin Cities' annual Yarn Shop Hop starts tomorrow! For three days, seven metro yarn shops will be giving out free patterns and enabling your yarny addiction, while helping local food shelves at the same time:

The Yarnery, St. Paul
3 Kittens Needle Arts, Mendota
A Sheepy Yarn Shoppe, White Bear Lake
Amazing Threads, Maple Grove
Coldwater Collaborative, Excelsior
Needlework Unlimited, Minneapolis
Zandy's Yarn, Etc., Burnsville

For all the details, check this post on The Yarnery Blog.

I'll be working at El Y on Sunday - hope to see you there!!

Country roads

I am one tired Meema.

Mom and Dad moved to New Richland this weekend. It's only five intersections and 90 miles away.This is the middle of God's country, if said country is not near anything else. It was a long, rather straight drive; the trip was made seasonally charming by the 5 o' clock shadow of tiny plants covering the fields. That, and passing a farm with a Santa and eight tiny reindeer still suspended across the driveway.

Anyhoo, they have been doing much work on (and cleaning out of) my maternal grandparents' old home. It's a cute house with a huge yard right next to the high school. And yes, my grandfather put faces on several of his trees, much to the delight of Kidlet. Two blocks further south is - and I mean this in every literal sense - the End of Town. The road comes to an abrupt finality of pavement, a couple of trees, and corn fields. Or maybe soybeans. I'll keep you updated.

Being Memorial Day, Old Glory was hoisted in the front yard before we returned the moving truck.

Nana and Papa, I hope you're turning in early tonight.

Going40 in iRecital

Tonight was the final event of Scott's undergraduate degree pursuit: his senior recital. An enthusiastic and sizable audience gathered at Sundin Recital Hall for an evening of piano music. Half of the audience was utilizing their iPhones before the recital started. I had to laugh, thinking back to how un-tech my recital experience at Luther compared, lo se-e-everal years ago. Bloggers to my left, bloggers in front of me, bloggers to my right - a person couldn't spit without hitting one (classy, I know). Here you see Sous-Blogger Deb working hard to keep her title. A more devoted friend would be hard for Scooter to find. Truly. (BTW, I enjoy taking random aerial photos even more than one-arm self portraiture - I was sitting next to Deb.)Scott played a wonderful program of Bach, Mendelssohn, Chopin and Ravel, featuring a world premiere by David Evan Thomas. Even though I am in NO WAY pianistically inclined, it was clear this was an exceptional performance. I marvelled at the voicing and power in the Mendelssohn. (Kidlet, I promise to make you take piano lessons. Early and often.)

Below, a herd of Scott's fans from St. Paul's; proud partner Eric, right, covered the receiving line.

We are all crazy proud of you, Scott - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Knitterly update

It's true - I've actually been knitting lately, just not documenting it very well. Fellow Ravelers can check my Projects page over yonder - I tend to update there first. Does anyone else find it hard to serve the multiple masters of blogging/FB/Ravelry? Good grief.

This is one of two baby sweaters for an anticipated July delivery. Boy Sweater needs only to be seamed; Girl Sweater has yet to be cast on, preempted by...

Jorid Linvik's beautiful Wedding Mittens, of which the cuffs are shown here. I'm doing the lefts of each pair on Magic Loop, then the rights; hopefully this will save a bit of time that would have been spent flipping from chart to chart, let alone Second (and Third, and Fourth) Mitten Syndrome.

Ooh, and I found a yummy new yarn online last week. I'll type slowly so you may savor the thought:

m i n k
a n d
c a s h m e r e

It's as soft as you might think, and not nearly as expensive as it should be (70% mink, 30% cashmere). I purchased two 100-yard skeins of the DK weight yarn, one Jet Black and one natural, for the ridiculous price of US $9.95 each (they also sell 200-yard skeins for US $19.50). And now until Memorial Day/May 25, they are selling all yarn at 25% OFF LISTED PRICE! Check it out - and when you check out, use promotional code 525 for the discount.

Sumer Is Icumen In

OK, people - it is 10:02pm in the Twin Cities on May 19, and it's 89 freakin' degrees.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE???

On being Norwegian

Yesterday was Syttende Mai (Norwegian Constitution Day), and the Paulson clan gathered in Hugo to celebrate with a feast of Norsk cuisine. Lefse, meatballs, herring, gjetost - the works. As an added bonus, it was a beautiful spring day.

I rushed home from church to make my contribution, fløtegrøt. If you're not familiar, close your eyes and envision a) white; b) bland; and c) crazily dairy-fat based. That about covers it. The recipe called for heavy cream, whole milk, and flour; from this over a cup of clarified butter lets from the custardy goo. "Seasoning" consists of said butter, sugar and (uff da!) cinnamon.

My moment of koldtbord bravery? Two words - head cheese.
Two more words - never again.

Texture 101

Terracotta pots have never been so cozy.

Check out this article for instructions on how to make these felted flower pot covers, plus other ways to creatively contain green things.

Thanks, Barb, for the heads up on this!

Bright eyed and bushy... tailed

And in church choir news, eWAC brought his blankie to rehearsal for show-and-tell last week. It is fan-freakin'-tastic. (Regrettably, I didn't photograph the reverse, which is dancing hibiscus ladies.)

And it was only a little distracting to the altos and sopranos in the front row - well, some of them, anyway.

She made Jesus cry

Apparently owning a European luxury car exempts you from accountability for things mundane like... oh, I don't know... making sure your gas pump shuts off.

Seriously, dear, stay in your car on your cell phone. The newly born baby woodland creatures don't need unpolluted ground water.

G.I. No

I don't think I want the picture on my blog. Go see it for yourself.

Lolly lolly lolly

So we were erranding at Walgreen's this afternoon, and the nice pharmacy tech offered Kidlet a lollipop. The promise of a little sugar sends Kidlet into giddy convulsions every time without fail (picture Wallace waving his hands alongside his face when he says "Cheeeese!"). She selected her lolly, said thank you, and we sat in the little waiting area so she could eat her treat.

Kidlet sat on the demo strap-a-back-rub-to-your-office-chair thing; a touch of the power button, and the entertainment began. She was enthralled with the massaging action, especially because it went up to her head - would've been shoulder blade height on a grownup.

The sucker was disappearing quickly, and J asked her what flavor it was.

"Sweet."

Mommy and Meema lost it.

FYI, it was Pink Lemonade.

He kisses his mother with that mouth?

I don't know about you, but I feel there's a bit of global paranoia brewing regarding a certain strain of influenza. Aside from fleeing to the hills, there are basic hygiene practices you can adopt to help keep yourself healthy:

Wash your hands.
Cover your cough and sneeze.
Stay the hell home when you're sick.
Don't lick pig snouts.

His mama is so proud.

Taking a back seat

The blogoversary will have to wait, for there is sad news to share in the knitting world: Kay Gardiner (of Mason-Dixon Knitting fame) lost her husband, Peter, on Saturday to a brief illness. You can read her cohort Ann's brief blog entry here.

I'm sure Kay and their children would welcome all thoughts and prayers.

Blog 2.0

The Meema Files is now entering the terrible two's. Hang on, kiddies!
(Blogoversary event details coming soon...)

An Easter Week miracle?

Apparently there has been a tear in the cosmic time/space continuum because Miranda and Colleen are appearing in the same YouTube clip (along with some major powers-that-be, listed below).

Richard Jay-Alexander (director), Donna McKechnie (choreographer), Kevin Stites (musical director), Steve Linder (producer) Brian Grohl (producer), Ben Toth (assistant MD), James Kinney (associate choreographer), Michael Donovan (casting director), and "Miranda Sings" (Colleen Ballinger)

Free and clear

The people at GlassDharma have a heckuva deal in anticipation of Earth Day. Would you like a reusable glass drinking straw for free? Follow the simple instructions here to get your own Simple Elegance drinking straw. Who knows - it could be the summer party theme you've been looking for.

(BTW, they also carry hard cases, soft pouches, and brushes for cleaning said straws. Other styles and sizes also available.)

Easter 2009

Easter Sunday was a beautiful spring day in Minnesota (finally!). Busy, too. Church service and egg hunt in the morning, noontime meal at M&D's, then Kidlet was off to Grammy's fro the evening meal. Quite the haul was made - she had three Easter Bunny egg/nest/basket opportunities. Yikes.

I realize I never documented holiday knitting FO's very well. Oops. Since there's no time like the present to start setting things aright, here are the details for Kidlet's Easter shrug:

pattern: adapted from One Skein Wonder, by Stefanie Japel
yarns: body in Classic Elite Soft Linen (35% linen, 35% wool, 30% baby alpaca), trim in Rowan Kidsilk Haze (70% super kid mohair, 30% silk)
needles: Knit Picks Harmony interchangeables, US5 and US6
cast on: 27 Mar 2009
completed: 11 April 2009

Rock the resurrection

Get your God groove on here:

Christos anesti!

Alethos anesti - alleluia!

While we wait for a miracle

... we do odd things to eggs.

Kidlet and I galhandled 82 eggs in preparation for tomorrow, both candy-filled (for the egg hunt at St. Paul's) and hard-boiled (to help the Easter Bunny). She was very focused and paid great attention to detail. Best of all, there were no dye stains on Nana & Papa's beige carpet - woot!

The Wright stuff

(I'm sorry - the title had to be writ.)

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the death of Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959). My, but he was long-lived. And creative. And prolific. And genius. And durn clever at financing his grand architectural works of art (read: squeezing every penny and then some out of his customers).

I'm convinced I was born a century too late. Living in south Minneapolis I grew to adore the American Arts and Crafts movement, to the point where I have dreams about Stickley. I could (and have) spent hours pouring over tile and wallpaper friezes and light fixtures and did I mention furniture?

Wright took the A&C movement and married it to the "modernity" of the 20th century in a very organic and non-offensive way. (Can you tell je deteste International architecture? Blech.) The way the walls of windows in his Prairie School homes (Fallingwater, at left) embraced and framed the natural view as art, to the conch-like structure of the Guggenheim (right) - he totally does it for me.

Thanks, Frank.