October 17, 2005
We Control the Vertical, We Control the Horizontal
Shhhh! TMK here. Don’t tell Ryan, but I’ve taken over Mossy Cottage. She left to go to a class today so I grabbed her mouse and ran. I’m feeling the power. Oh, yeah. And just to show you how much power I really have...I posted on Sunday! (Really, I was afraid to do this without Someone walking me through it. I didn't want to blow the blog up with the superior power of The Mac.)
Hmmm. Now that I have your attention, what to say, what to say…
Over the weekend, we celebrated our 19th anniversary!
Ryan is ga-ga over stained glass and the Seattle Art Museum is having an exhibition of Tiffany glass, so it seemed like a great anniversary activity. Off we went to SAM to look at Tiffany pieces and git us some culture. It was way more interesting than I thought it would be. Turns out Tiffany was driven to be creative. Dude painted, created ironwork, designed glass with a million different textures and treatments, designed jewelry, carved wood (I mean seriously carved wood), designed wallpaper, lighting fixtures. And, oh yeah, stained glass. I don’t know when he had time to sleep let alone pay attention to his wife!
The museum in downtown Seattle is in a fairly new building. It used be part of a beautiful Olmsted-designed park in an older Seattle neighborhood. A few years ago, a property tax levy passed (we hates levies) and the city built a gleaming new art museum, complete with the several-story-high Hammering Man. He represents the “working man” so he hammers 24 hours a day except on Labor Day.
We’ve missed the one interesting exhibit they had, Da Vinci…because we were too lazy to go downtown and see it. So when we saw that the Tiffany exhibit was starting the same weekend as our anniversary, well, it seemed like it was meant to be.
And I lucked out because they happened to have a Frederic Church exhibit going on as well (we likes Frederic Church). He paints the most amazing clouds and skies! (Ryan thinks I’m nuts because I hate pulling over at rest stops for potty breaks but I’ll pull over in the middle of nowhere to take a picture of a cloud.)
So, after taking in SAM, we had some time to kill before going to dinner. So we wandered around downtown doing some window shopping and being amazed at the changes. We both used to work downtown and know our way around. But with all the construction in the last few years, it’s easy to lose your bearings. It’s starting to turn into one of those places that the sun never touches because the buildings are all so tall.
Then…dinner! At the best Italian restaurant ever, Il Fornaio. I swear my Sicilian grandmother has been reincarnated in their kitchen. Their food smells so good and tastes so good, it’s more like eating memories than food. And the ambiance is just romantic enough without going over the top. When our waiter brought us our dessert, there was a candle in it. So nice!
As an anniversary gift I received these!
A pair of Mongolian Camel Wool typing toasties made by Miss R. herself. I’m feeling quite smug knowing I have the only MongoLEEan Camel Wool typing toasties anywhere!
Sunday, we woke up to a pea soup sky and leaves blowing off the trees. So we stayed in. And made challah. Us, the Episcopalian and the Catholic. It was mah-ve-lous! Frankie also approved.
Turns out, challah has to rise three times, before you bake it, so we had a few hours to kill. Ryan spent a lot of time going through her bag of Cascade 220, which seems to multiplying instead of reducing, while trying to decide what her next project would be. I peeked. I think she’s making multi-colored kid socks for Dulaan. What did I do? I battled evil all afternoon with my buddy Sly Cooper and his Band of Thieves.
I now return control of the blog back to you knitters.
(Macs rule!)
Posted by Ryan at October 17, 2005 06:43 PMHAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! Sounds like a perfect day!
I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one to pull over just to take sky pictures! LOL
Nice to "meet" you TMK!
Posted by: Nannette on October 16, 2005 09:28 PMTMK! I'm with Nannette...its nice to "meet" you :)
Sounds like you guys had a fabulous anniversary. I'm totally jealous!
Posted by: Libby on October 16, 2005 10:48 PMDid you do the "top braid" or did you get funky and do the six-strand braid? Looks beautiful!
I am SO jealous of the toasties. I think I'll make me a pair in black llama...
Posted by: Lee Ann on October 17, 2005 02:52 AMHappy Anniversary!! Those mitts are stunning. You're ever-so-lucky to have a Ryan to knit them for you, and she is fortunate to have a recipient who will wear camel wool.
(Most of my intended gift recipients won't wear any kind of wool. At all.)
And yes, you're right. Macs rule. Completely.
Posted by: Candace on October 17, 2005 05:21 AMHappy anniversary! Love the camel wool toasties. Definitely a rare thing!
Posted by: Sheri on October 17, 2005 06:36 AMTMK, you rebel, you! Posting on a SUNDAY! Those camel wool toasties are superb. Ryan didn't have that yarn very long before she came up with fabulous use for some of it. You are very blessed. Happy anniversary! Keep up those entries on the blog--great to hear from you, and thanks for the little "downtown Seattle" travelog. I work down there every day, and it really is turning into a concrete grand canyon. Mary B
Posted by: Mary B on October 17, 2005 07:11 AMHappy anniversary, you two! Feel free to hijack the blog any time, Ms TMK--I think anyone keyboarding with those MongoLEEan camel typing mitts could outpace the other blogmistress without breaking a sweat!
Posted by: Janine on October 17, 2005 07:12 AMHappy Anniversary TMK & Ryan!!!
*blows bubbles*
What a fun treat for TMK to guest-blog. Love those yummy toasties. Glad you both had a perfect day.
*giggles as a bubble pops on TMK's nose*
Posted by: Margot on October 17, 2005 07:33 AMHappy Anniversary sweet children - may there be many more.
Have always enjoyed your comments, TMK, and was pleased to see you are guest blogging today -
Let love be.
Posted by: Childe on October 17, 2005 07:47 AMEveryone: Thanks for all the anniversary tidings.
Lee Ann: I cheated and created a large braid and a small braid and stacked them.
I don't know how all you bloggers write so much every week. It took me hours to write the entry! ;-)
TMK
Posted by: The Mysterious K on October 17, 2005 08:50 AMLOL! Enjoyed every word. You are a natural blogger! And *when* did Ryan have the time to knit up those mitts, anyway? Happy anniversary!
Posted by: Karen on October 17, 2005 09:03 AMTMK!!! Squeee!!! How fun to see you! What wonderful mitts! And you always have the best games - I just ordered the first Sly Cooper for Noah (shhh, don't tell him yet).
I love Church, too. Those big views, oooo.
Next thing, you'll be knitting. *snicker*
Posted by: Patti on October 17, 2005 10:59 AMI went to the SAM with Caroline on the same day that you and Ryan went. I liked the Tiffany exhibit....the audio was nice so that I got some background on him. Did you go and see the Native American exhibit too? It was tiiiiite!! :) I am glad that you had a good anniversary....I hella want to try Il Fornaio!! See ya soon!!
Posted by: Courtney on October 17, 2005 11:12 AMHi, honey! Nice to see you.
Happy Anniversary.
Excellent horizontal and vertical control.
Posted by: Anne on October 17, 2005 12:02 PMHi TMK! Happy anniversary to you both, it sounds like a wonderful day. I think the superior power of your Mac has added a level of class to the place. Glad to know we are safe from evil for another day - keep fighting the good fight.
Posted by: Elaine on October 17, 2005 12:03 PMSqueezing in a comment during lunch to say hello to everyone, especially to TMK!
How fun was it to have a Guest Blogger? I know it was fun for me!
To anyone local who is thinking of going to the Tiffany exhibit, go, go, GO, especially since its the last new exhibit until the museum shuts down until 2007. Everything at the Tiffany exhibit was interesting and beautifully displayed, and we learned so much!
Apropos of knitting, on Wednesday, I'll tell you about the Great Camel Yarn injury. Sure I knit those typing toasties, but not without paying a price.
Posted by: Ryan on October 17, 2005 01:03 PMCongratulations! What gorgeous challah and lovely camel hand warmer whoosies (even if bodily trauma resulted).
I hope your happy anniversaries never end.
CONGRATS ON THE 19 YEARS! I am in amazement! WOW!
TMK -- Lovely post! REMEMBER MY TOFU PIE! I'M BRINGING YOU A TREAT!
Posted by: Rebecca on October 17, 2005 04:36 PMHappy Anniversary! We need to start planning the blowout for next year now. I see dancing corgies and grilled cheese sandwhiches in the shape of hobbits...
Posted by: Laurie on October 17, 2005 04:59 PMhappy anniversary- here's to 19 more and then another 19 after that-
stay happy and *both* of you keep on blogging-
Posted by: barb in texas on October 17, 2005 07:08 PMhappy anniversary, guys! and wow, what a beautiful gift. TMK, you are indeed blessed to have such a wonderful person knit such a loving gift.
and challah rocks, no matter what denomination you are!
Happiest anniversary to my heroes.
xo
Congrats! Sounds like a marvelous anniversary was celebrated.
Posted by: Nathania on October 17, 2005 11:47 PMHappy anniversary!
Like you both, I am a fan of the Seattle Art Museum & F. Church too!
Ryan, I will be contacting you soon re the Knitter's Review Retreat Dulaan donations - hope we have lots of fab goodies to send!
And as of today, 10/18, I have tagged you on my blog, marfasmewsings.blogspot.com. I'm giving the credit of this to Bess who tagged me.
Martha
Happy happy to Ryan and TMK. I would like to repeat what Rachel said. to many more years of bliss for both of you.
hugs
Posted by: anj on October 19, 2005 06:31 AMHappy Anniversary! I just got back from vacation and visited F. Church's house and estate overlooking the Hudson River in New York state on my way to Rhinebeck. A fabulous house full of paintings by him and his mentor. I wouldn't mind living there. Cozy little cottage, NOT.
Posted by: Joan in Reno on October 20, 2005 11:14 AM