Let's Push Things Forward

Baby bib

Yarn: Lily The Original Sugar 'n Cream (100% cotton; worsted weight)
Color: Faded denim
Needles: US 9s
Stitches: 25

Here's the baby bib I made to go along with the baby hat. It's a coincidence that the colors turned out to be so similar. Both were made with yarn leftover from other projects.

I gave the gifts to the happy dad at this morning's press screening of Hot Fuzz, a ridiculously entertaining send-up of action films that was a great way to start the day. The baby can wear my bib when he isn't feeling hardcore.

There was interesting news on the apartment front today. A week ago a for rent sign went up in front of the building. My landlord knew I was looking for another place, but I hadn't told him that I had lined it up. My apartment was in no shape for him to be bringing prospective renters through--something I really hate, by the way--and I knew there wasn't any rush to tell him officially. I wondered if the sign was because of our last conversation in March or if someone else was moving out.

I got a call from my landlord tonight. Our talk confirmed for me that he's about as good of a landlord as one could want. I filled him in on my plans. It seems that he already has someone interested in moving in once I'm gone, and he's interested in buying my washer and dryer if I don't want to move them. (Any idea what a fair asking price is?) I asked if another apartment was opening up. Turns out that both of those occupied by the problematic students are going to be available. The more obnoxious ones are choosing not to return. My landlord has decided not to renew the contract of the guys living below me, due in part to their habit of setting out trash but not taking it to the curb.

Although I'm not staying, it's still good news. If anything, it continues to hide my moving plans from my neighbors. I'm sure they assume I'm not going anywhere, so perhaps it will keep them marginally better behaved.

Remember the first dishcloth I made? I finally used it this weekend. Why such a long wait? Considering the knitted item's purpose it's going to sound weird, but I didn't want to get it dirty. It was pressed into service because I didn't have any clean dishcloths. Now that I've seen how sturdy and effective it is, I wish I'd been using it earlier.

Ruth tagged me for a Thinking Blogger award, so it's time I lived up to my end of the bargain. Here are the rules:

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).

I'm going to have to exercise some nepotism since the blogs I read most regularly are by people I know. Complicating matters, though, is that I can't tip off bloggers I know who have no idea about "the secret knitter". For that reason some of these will be familiar to you:

1. Pens and Needles by Kristin Dreyer Kramer

An obvious selection but without reading it and talking to her, I doubt that I'd be knitting or writing about it.

2. Union, Trueheart, and Courtesy by Donna Bowman

An inspiration on the writing side. Donna's commitment to daily blogging and her words of advice about writing in general can be credited (or blamed, as you see fit) for encouraging my attempts to post every day. Whether it's brainy entries about religion and pop culture or amusing stories about her kids, she's a daily must-read.

3. Poems, Prose, or Parody by Jenn Miller

It's good to see Jenn writing more regularly. She shares her grad school homework assignments, creative writing, and personal observations in a fun little blog.

4. Kodachrome
5. Tiny Happy

I don't know either of these bloggers and am not sure how I stumbled upon their sites. Both feature wonderful photography, whether it's of their crafty creations or other things.

Off I go to tag the authors...