Deb on the Web

Busy Weekend

As my houseguest is in the shower I thought I'd jot down a few thoughts on the last week and this weekend.  A very! dear friend of ours is having her (almost) annual running away from home weekend.  DH and I have planned the food part of the trip and I the rest.
Today is the one chance we have to visit Oregon Flock and Fiber!  blogless Cyndi is a new knitter and I am going to corrupt her and how:)
Tomorrow is Komen Oregon's Race for the Cure!  Team Nostrana will be representing with the addition of a bit of Reno along;)  I didn't do a big fundraiser here since I have recently hit you all up for money.  Our team didn't do so well on the extra fundraising, but just signing up and a few local donations have us at $800.  Pretty good. 
There will also be trips to Powell's, eating at both our restaurants and other places that are new since the last visit.  A great weekend over all.  Most of our time so far has been all about yakking.  About 30 seconds from pick up time with only sleep shutting us up:)  I love that!

Also on my mind--this week I found out that a friend of mine has MS.  That along with my dad being diagnosed with Parkinson's a couple of weeks ago and DH's Diabetes has me thinking a lot about medications and supplimental therapies.  I have always looked to food as medicine, but now I am very interested in looking at food, herbs and exercise in a theraputic way.  Your be hearing a lot of these thoughts in the near future.  If you know of sites I should visit or articles I should read pass them on.  I'll be doing the same.

Off to have some fun!

You're such a pig!

In Portland we had Cows on Parade a few years ago.  Well Seattle now has pigs on parade.  Just a few of the guys we walked by:
oh now you knew there was going to be a chocolate pig;)

We also walked through the new Olympic Sculpture Park.  It was amazing!  Here are just a few photos.  I was so excited I couldn't stop taking photos.  This was pretty cool.  Many years ago I taught "Soil" at outdoor school.  This was like walking into my classroom;)   Okay, that's enough.  There is more but this is a lot of photos.  Let's just say it was a super trip and a great way to celebrate a belated birthday.  Oh yea--I did finishing a project too (well, besides the book) Some Fleece Artist SeaWool for an employee's birthday.  There is just one round of Monkey around the ankle.  Oh it is addicting.  I'll be making a long pair soon.
Oh, let's have just one more pig for the road. This was the perfect Seattle pig (a close up) If you are heading up to Seattle at all don't pass up a dinner at Harvest Vine (the best Spanish tapas) or lunch at Seven Spice Pepper--there is no Szeshuan in Portland so this is a fix we always have to get.

But now we are home and today there was a donation that put me over the $300 mark!!!  Tomorrow there will be a drawing for the next prize...

You know you're a knitting geek when...

You look at a soup pot cooking and run to get your matching sock to take a photo Soup is summer vegetable minestrone.  Sock yarn is Sea Wool.  The new easy knitting sock in the knit bag.
Yes, the employees were staring and shaking their heads.  But they weren't surprised...that is how you know you are a true knitting geek;)

Another prize for the Guts and Glory 5K-- Cindy chose the STR yarn so I thought we'd better have some Koigu to replace:)  Now let's get that donation pool up to $300 so there can be a third drawing!

Oh, want something else to donate to?  Messodiva has created a beautiful sock pattern.  You can get a copy by sponsoring her Race For the Cure.  And Mama E has dyed some beautiful yarn that gives a donation to team knitty when you purchase.  What a great combo!

Help some knitters out:)

A little walk

Well I kind of fell down with the last week push for donations.  But our team raised $1600!  Some of it was in check form and not visible on line.  The walk was fun!  And sooooo many people.  They think 46,000 this year!  Thank you again for all the donations.  It goes to a very worthy cause.

This weekend is an anniversary (blogiversary) of sorts.  Two years blogging with Typepad today!  I actually started with Blog city 2 1/2 years ago after reading Claudia and Sandy's blogs.  But I have learned so much about code and technology from Typepad.  For my anniversary I had planned on unveiling a surprise, but it's not quite ready so the suspense will have to build;)

No Saturday Sky this week--just food sightings for me on Saturday.  We all decided this was the most beautiful tomato of the season.  The photo does not do it justice.

A Winner!!

A number has been drawn and a winner chosen!!
Suzie is the first winner for the Race for the Cure drawings!  I'll be sending you an email. 
There will be another prize drawing after 10 more people donate to Race for the Cure (any amount gets your name into the drawing).  This is a great organization.  I am walking in a local event, but the money raised does go to help national programs.

If you didn't win your name will still be in the drawing for the next batch of prize choices.

Fundraising Goals

I'm happy to say I have already met my personal goal of $500!  Thanks mom!!  This happened with just 9 people.  So I am doubling my goal to $1000 and there will be a drawing tomorrow morning for a book winner!!!  I really do hope one of you decides to donate today so we really will be a 10:).  Scroll down to read about the two book choices for the winner.  And click here to read about the incredible work being done to cure breast cancer.
If you don't win tomorrow remember there will be another drawing at 20 people.  That drawing will include a yarn gift and something foodie for the non-knitter to choose from;)

Celebrity sitings

Yes, I did see the Harlot tonight.  She was hilarious!  She talked about being the only knitter at a cocktail party--the glazed look we've all seen in the muggles' eyes.  About how shocking it was that we were all interested in the knitting olympics and lots of other funny stories.
I'm so glad I took a few hours off to see her.  I didn't get a chance to have my book signed or actually talk with her though.  The line was long and I had to go back to work.  I did have a sock all ready for the photo though;)

When I returned to work I found even more celebs.  Laird Hamilton and his 6'3" wife Gabrielle Reece.  Actually all three of them were there along with 10 other friends and Nike offical types.  Lots of toe heads and lots of nice people.
I'm glad I had the reason not to be there tonight as the gal working for me immediately recognized Laird when he walked in.  She helped with wine and shmoozed the table.  As he was leaving he asked for her address so he could send her his latest video.  Very cool--M.A. is 50 (not the 25 you were all thinking).

Race for the Cure update--7 people have donated a total of $490!  Thank you all!!  We ought to be having a drawing by the weekend.  If you are thinking of donating this is the time to do it!  And yes there will be more drawings...yarn in the next one.  So donate away!

Just a reminder!

To donate!  There are 3 donations at the site now, but we must have 10 before the first drawing.  In each prize drawing there will be the choice of a knitting prize or a non knitting.  So don't be shy cause you aren't crafty.  Give, Give, Give!!!
The first prizes will be of the book variety--as in knitting book or cookbook.

Race for the Cure!!

I've added a button to the right for donating!  This is a great cause--especially since I think we can all agree we prefer to see breasts on bodies:)  Men can get breast cancer as well so donate for the women and men in your life!!  I have formed a Team Nostrana but we will be walking in celebration of all people that have conquered breast cancer.  If you want to donate in the name of someone please email me and we will add that name to our shirts!  The incredible baker that bakes our bread every morning is a breast cancer survivor--Gianna Bernadini will be the first name on my shirt!
There will be knitting and non knitting prizes to be had!! We only have 3 weeks and I would like to raise $5000--so tell the world!  All prizes will be awarded to names chosen at random.  The first prize will be awarded when we have 10 donations made.  then at 20 and so on.  If you would like to donate a prize please drop me an email.

Click here to be the first to donate!!  And remember to email me or leave a comment  here if you want us to walk in Celebration of someone close to you!