Comfort Zone

Kai seems to have settled in well at Monterey Bay, and we're doing O.K. too although I still very much have the urge to turn back the clock if I could. I've told Russ that I think Kai is especially equipped for rolling with changes because he has so many "comfort" elements to his life that can follow him anywhere: soccer, working out, drawing, and World of Warcraft (I feel like I should make a joke about W.O.W. here, but I can't think of one.) Russ and I have that too, in a lot of ways. We can always go for a run almost anywhere we are, and we've always loved food adventures, something our kids have definitely inherited.

Our first night in Monterey, after we'd gotten Kai moved in, he said that he needed "meat." Maybe because he was worried that we were intending to find a vegetarian restaurant or something, but I humored him and found a wonderful, little German restaurant--Stammtisch.  I've never been that interested in German food since I usually go for "lighter" food choices, but their food was delicious. The top photo is Kai's sampler plate, and the bottom one is my pork roast and red cabbage. Kai told me on the phone tonight that he's going back this week. We intend to soon, too.

We started Saturday morning with a run along the harbor and then Cannery Row and up Prescott Street, which was quite a challenge. Russ had read that Prescott St. is part of a "Military Hill" loop that soldiers from the Defense Language Institute run. When we got to the top of the street, there was a little corner store that we stopped in to get water. I was kind of intrigued by it, hidden away there in a residential area. It was really rustic inside with lots of military paraphenalia, including a signed photo from Gary Berghoff, who played Radar O'Reilly in MASH. I told Russ that I bet their deli was great. I Googled it when we got home and found out that I was right. It's called Compagnos and has been around for like twenty years and locals love it. We're going back for more than water next time.

Russ looks like he's running, but he's actually just enjoying a nice cup of coffee after our big run. You can't really see it from the photo, but there are tons of people taking SCUBA lessons in the water behind him. One of Kai's friend from high school is an instructor and works for the Monterey Aquarium which is a couple of blocks away. Kai lives in the same apartment complex as he does, which is nice for both of them.

We've spent a lot of time in the car for the past two weekends, so I've gotten a lot of knitting done. I finished one of my ribbed socks this morning on the way to the Farmer's Market in Bakersfield, and I don't even feel any Second Sock Syndrome coming on....I hope.

Changes

 Ten-Year-Old Selfie

Twenty-Year-Old Selfie

My son, Kai, left for college at CSU Moneterey Bay last weekend. I've shed some tears over it, but I'm also so happy for him. He lives in MONTEREY now, after all. I was in labor with him for over twenty-four hours, and when he was finally born, he was a little the worse for wear, with a pretty big conehead. I remember looking down at him and thinking, "I'm going to love him no matter how funny looking he is." Well, I think he's pretty darn handsome now, and I know mothers are extremely biased, but he is a wonderful person and has been such a blessing to me, especially in the wake of his sister, who I also love a bunch, but who has kept up hopping, to put it nicely, for a big part of her life.

I am never that into knitting during the last part of the summer, what with 100 degree temperature, but I've been knitting quite a bit lately, probably for a little comfort. I've been knitting Pleiades with some blue Malabrigo yarn. I bought it in Monterey in July when we were looking for apartments for Kai.

 It's an easy pattern, but I didn't want to have to focus too much while we were driving in the car up to Monterey, so I started some  ribbed socks with some variegated Cascade yarn I've had forever.

Trying Again

I received a nice note from an acquaintance last week, telling me how much she had enjoyed my blog. It was just what I needed to get a little inspiration again. I still knit a lot and enjoy it, so it seems silly not to record my accomplishments....and failures. So, here I go again.

I recently knit these little bunnies with leftover yarn for my neighbor who just had a baby and who also have a two-year-old.  I bought Julie's dress patterns a while back, so I used those. They're all so cute, and I'm so in love with the shoes that she includes in the bunny pattern itself. I bought my friend a card that had cute little pink fondant booties on a cupcake, so I found a tiny bit of leftover, bright pink yarn for the baby's bunny. Success! I even thought about making some of the cupcakes, but I regained my sanity before I tried that.

little bit of bright pink yarn to make one of the pairs of booties.