Birthday and Valentine Weekend

This is D#1, nearing the end of her 200 fly in the prelims/finals meet last month. I believe she's coming to the turn end (and thus the final 25 yards of the race). Still getting those arms out! Pretty amazing.

We have had a delightful weekend with so few work responsibilities that I hardly knew what to do with myself at first. Luckily I came to my senses and remembered the taxes, the financial forms, the birthday preparations for my spouse's natal day, and the all-important Valentine's Day festivities.

Ah, Valentine's Day. I think D#2 was more excited about Valentine's Day this year than she ever has been about Christmas or Hanukkah or even, possibly, her birthday--she's been dressing in special pink and heart-themed outfits all week, and yesterday she was up at 6:15 as her sister and I were getting ready to leave for the pool. She was mightily disappointed to be sent back to bed to await our return.

Sirius also doesn't mess around when it comes to holidays. This kitty has taken possession of a big pile of valentines; note the crossed paws and regal attitude... but later on he got distracted, so I was able to take some pictures of these works of art. This one is my favorite:

I especially like the fact that D#2 put herself and me in amongst the dancing hearts.

Here's the dream swatch I made with the leftover Sunshine Yarns (Trek colorway, size 6 US needles). It is over 6 feet long, blocking. I love how this yarn blooms after a wash. I wish I could take a photo that shows you the interplay of chocolate and slate blue. The best I can do is show it stretching off into an infinity of blocking pins...

I'm currently at work on a couple of other projects --D#2's sweater, and the Red Sox Traveling scarf (I currently have scarf #3 in my possessoin). And soon the Dragonfly in Amber swap will get underway!

Jocelyn tagged me for an award recently -- it was lovely of her to do so! She is such a talented knitter, designer, mom, academic, and explainer of thinking that I'm a little boggled by her interest in these ramblings --but I am most grateful for her friendship and extremely flattered by this. Here are the rules:

1. Copy the award to your site
2. Link to the person from whom you received the award
3. Nominate 7 other bloggers
4. Link to those on your blog
5. Leave a message on the blogs you nominated.

Pleased as I am, the part about tagging seven others is a tad overwhelming. So I'm going to rebelliously tag only SIX of the folks I read regularly and who have not, as far asI know, already received this particular award. I herewith send you off to visit 1) Carolynn, whom I know as the chieftess Fiona Fraser, 2) Paul, Down Under, 3) fellow Sox fan Courtney, also known as Koto-chan, 4) another member of a swap family, Sassenach (she's reading one of my all-time faves right now, Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome) ...5) Breadchick, whom I found by reading What I Cooked Last Night, and 6) Marit (I can't wait until her computer is no longer giving her fits). Enjoy these creative, insightful writers!