We're Lucky.

It's late, polliwogs, but if you read this before St. Patrick's Day morning, we're going to be in the parade, entry #43 with W. and C.'s school. We've tricked out the scooter and wagon in serious style. Look for three kids in Viking helmets (with the horns spray-painted green, naturally) and a dude in a black Utilikilt with a green mohawk. I'll be the square with them.

And in case you wondered, it's REALLY hard to find St. Patrick's Day decorations the night before St. Patrick's Day. It forces some deep and profound creativity out a mother. I'm the stronger for it.

I Can Call You Betty, and Betty When You Call Me, You Can Call Me Al.

The batteries in my camera died in New York. I was waiting until I bought more to download the photos and post them, but who knows when that will be? (Little Cielo shoved the rechargeable batteries down the heat vent. We have big holes on our old fashioned vents, and we've lost a lot of stuff that way.) I made it to The Point Knitting Cafe a couple days before we left, and it was a huge disappointment, especially compared to the accidental tour of Stonewall Avenue we gave ourselves while trying to find it. The selection was pretty crappy, and the prices were even more inflated than at Purl, which at least has cool ambiance and is next door to Once Upon a Tart. The worst part was that I felt like I was inconveniencing the proprietress somehow just by being there (I even ordered a brownie and a freakin' $3 tiny bottled ginger ale). So... blah. If I ever need yarn in Manhattan, I'll go to Seaport Yarns, which is eccentric and cool and has a lovely owner who is terribly kind and funny and a little odd (although she doesn't accept credit cards because they contribute to personal debt--wait, maybe she's on to something). On the up side, on the way up Sixth Avenue back to the subway we stumbled across a place I'd heard about but never been to: Beard Papa's. The best cream puffs I have EVER had. It was almost weird how good they were. As The Neefer said after his first bite, "I'm stunned. I'm speechless. [LONG PAUSE] I love being stunned by food." He's not easy to stun, kittens. He was literally stopped in his tracks. Oh, I want one right now!

It's nice to be home, but I had no downtime before my crazy life started again--but what did I expect, coming home in the middle of the week? While we were gone, my mom painted my kitchen for me (with W. and C.'s "help"), and it has transformed the room. We actually like to be in there now, and I don't hate the white tile floor anymore. We still need to do the cabinets, but I don't feel overwhelmed by the task now. It was such an incalculable gift.

Knitting has become a joy again. I put off casting on for any new projects for the last two months, and the time to recharge creatively has been well spent. I got lots of knitting done while in New York and on the plane, and it was divine to have a partner who was willing to be responsible for the kid most of the time so that my hands were relatively free. I'm a lucky girl.

Tomorrow night is Stitch'n'Bitch. I went a little mad in the cookie department tonight, kittens, and if you're there, you'll reap whatever benefits may result, such as they are. I love birthday nights!

There's No Place Like Home.

I tell you what, hauling an almost-two-year-old around Manhattan (and Brooklyn, which, by the way, is a lot cleaner than Harlem) while six months pregnant is really exhausting. It's great to not be at a hotel though--we're staying with my brother instead. I bought some beautiful self-striping Lorna's Laces at Purl that's dyed exclusively for them (which is why I had to buy it, overpriced as their entire stock is to me, the small-town girl). Other than that, I haven't made any of the yarn store treks that I had planned on (see above regarding the almost-two-year-old). What's great is having a vacation with my husband. We've seen and done some amazing and crazy stuff, and I've knit a pair of mittens for El Cielo The Toddler entirely while riding the subway. It made me realize how much knitting time I waste driving around and sitting at stoplights in traffic. I've also realized yet again that as much as I love to travel, I love going home even more, especially when my children, family, and friends are there. But that's what makes it home in the first place. I miss all'a ya'll. See you soon.