Good Ouray Pictures

When I went to Ouray, Colorado for ice climbing, my buddy Pete Lande met up with us one day and took pictures with his fancy expensive camera (I might want it a lot). He then proceeded to drive around most of the western part of the US to climb, hike, canyoneer, and other such fun activities for a month and a half. He just got back last week and yesterday delivered to me a CD of the better pictures he took in Ouray. Here's some of my favorites that he took:Tyler warming up in the Schoolroom section...Kicking loose some ice on The Verminator...I pull through the mixed to ice switch on the Verminator as well...Last two pics are of me pulling through the first ice section of Jesus Christ Built my Finger Crack, then starting up the crack in the mixed part under the chandelier. Very hard and beefy, but a beautiful line :)Tyler was the only one of us to get Jesus Christ Built My Finger Crack clean... and he flashed it, getting it first time, despite a loss of feet as seen here.
Sadly, with all the warm weather lately I think that unless Duluth gets a big snowstorm (crossing my fingers) ice climbing season has closed for now. Now it's just a matter of time till it's dry enough to hitch up to the rock again (finally). Maybe... tomorrow? ;)

Defeat

Well, I knew probably a week ago that this was going to happen, but as of Sunday night, it was confirmed- I didn't finish the Dale.
The one (and really only) excuse that I feel is legitimate in this instance is the fact that the last week to really crank out the sweater came on none other than midterms week, which besides tests included a paper and a presentation in my Graduate Seminar class. I was probably doomed from the start.
I'm not saying that I didn't give it a good shot, though.I'm a little under halfway through the colorwork on the chest, and what's left is going to require patient, paying-attention knitting reserved for watching movies I've seen a million times or a knitting afternoon with Cheryl. (Please excuse the ruffled, I-just-want-to-sleep look and hair style- it was, after all, at the defeat point). I made okay progress on at least one of the sleeves, and it's getting bigger all the time. The sleeve is nice because I've been throwing it in my school bag to knit during class, since right now I just have miles of plain dark blue stockinette to finish for them. I think the biggest part of the battle is to "Just keep swimmin'" on this (to quote Dory, of course), even though the Olympics are over.
I had so much fun watching them this year. I got to see the big highlights almost every single night, and seeing the semifinal game between the US and Canada was great! I was a little bummed to not be able to stream the gold medal game at work on Sunday (believe me , I tried- any of you that know me probably understand how much swearing at technology occured in this attempt, but I ended up just watching a live-updated scoreboard- not nearly as cool) but I did work on the sleeve, because I knew it would be important to my Dad to know that I knit parts of the sweater during both US vs. Canada games. I'm really glad Canada got the Gold medal for hockey on their home soil- and I'm glad that the US put in a good fight, so it was at least a really good hockey game. Overall the Olympics were fantastic, and I can't wait until 2014 for the next ones in Russia! (Hopefully I'll have this damn sweater done by then.)
I am defeated for the gold medal, but believe me when I say I'm not giving up. In fact, I'm just getting started. :)

Tomorrow = EPIC

Well, perhaps it's not as terribly crazy-epic as lots of things, but tomorrow is going to be ridiculous because of one reason:
CANADA VS. USA- GOLD MEDAL HOCKEY GAME!!!
I was sitting on pins and needles throughout the entire first time that those two countries duked it out, and the fact that Canada won every single game since (which they absolutely had to do) and we have a rematch on CANADIAN SOIL is RIDICULOUS!!!
The stupidest thing about all of this is that tomorrow I have to work at VE from open till close, meaning I'm going to miss the entire game. Not just half, or the puck drop, or even the last period- I have to miss every last intense moment.
And oooooh boy is it going to be intense, if it's even a fraction of how intense the first game was just in semi-finals.
Now, all I have to decide is who I'm going to cheer for. ;)
Signing off for now, as in experimenting with the bold and changing font sizes my blog is being a pain and going all over and I don't want to deal with it for much longer than this, so Olympic update and knitting update tomorrow.
DON'T MISS THE GAME!!!!!!

Uh oh... Spaghettios

Whelp, even though there's a few days left in the Olympics, I'm pretty sure- scratch that, positive- that the Dale is not going to be finished.
I hate saying that, because I had lots of hopes for finishing the sweater, but several factors came into play this weekend that all but dashed my hopes under a skate blade, slicing them into a million tiny little pieces.
1- We were busy all weekend at VE. Correction- we were slamming busy at VE all weekend. I didn't sit down on Saturday, and Sunday found me on my feet scarfing down food entering waivers at 3 in the afternoon (well after lunch time). There was no way the Dale was happening.
2- I got a bit of a fever on Saturday morning, and then spent two straight days in the icebox that is the climbing gym which meant my fever just soared. Even though I was layered and bundled, it didn't help and I could barely function when done. I got a ton of sleep on Saturday night, woke up Sunday feeling a little better, but then all day in the cold Sunday shot my temp right back up again. Sunday night I watched the USA play Canada in hockey shivering from under a mountain of blankets before passing out before 9. Completely non-productive.3- I ate squid for the first time this weekend. Really has nothing to do with the Dale, but I wanted to get that in there. It was squishy, and the tentacles felt weird. 4- My parents came in town. They took me out to breakfast early before work on Sunday, so Sunday morning knitting time was kaput. I didn't want to risk coffee and syrup on the Dale. It was cool when they came in to VE later and tried out climbing, but again no knitting time.
5- Monday was homework day. I worked all day on my presentation for class the next day, and worked on my paper and studied for Midterms. I took one coffee break at 7 which turned into a Cub foods run since I had nothing but pasta by that point, so at least now I have food. This is the Dale as of right now. It's the first sleeve, and I'm not even done with the first set of increases yet. I'm still going to go at it with a vengeful look in my face, but I can feel the goal slipping out of my grasp.
:(
::sigh::
Maybe this just wasn't my year.

Back on Track

I was able to stop at Yarn Harbor yesterday between B&N in the morning at class to pick up teeny-tiny-itsy-bitsy circular needles in size one to cast on the sleeve of the Dale, and it's doing well.I'm already past the minimal amount of colorwork on the bottom, and now it's endless stockinette, which is going faster than I thought. I got a bit above the colorwork last night first at work, then while watching Evan Lysacek win the gold medal (later than I should have been up, but ah well, it's the Olympics!). I have a lot of homework to do this weekend to prepare for next week, plus I work a crazy amount this weekend, so we'll see how far this gets, but hopefully I can get a comfortable amount done on the arm.
Lots to do, including knit, so more later! Huzzah for finally getting back on the band wagon... sheesh...

Set Backs

To start off on a good note, I'm proud to officially be a part of "Team Yarn Harbor", as stated by my snazzy button on my knitting bag (designed and created by Cheryl's DH). I was able to stop by Yarn Harbor today to pick up some needles for finally starting on the arms of the Dale, as the body is getting massive and awkward to carry around to class and such. I really wanted some Addi Turbo needles in a nice, small size, and got the 16'' circulars, thinking it would be okay.
I tried to cast on three times tonight as I watched Lindsey Vonn get her gold in downhill skiing, but to no avail. The 57 stitch cast on just wasn't enough to go around the 16'', so I'll have to find time between work either before class or after to bike to Yarn Harbor and get the 12'' so I can get on these sleeves.
I feel so much like I'm lagging in this Olympics, because I haven't had the tools and am having setback after setback in getting started in stuff and not having time. Granted, school does take priority (I'm not as committed as the athletes- I do have to pay attention to school, especially with a paper, a presentation, and a midterm next week!) but I'm determined to get this sweater finished this Olympics. Once I have the right size needles I know I'm going to cruise on the sleeves though, and leave working the body for when I'm watching the Olympics at home.
I can do this.
Every athlete has setbacks.
It'll be fine.
Bring it on tomorrow, sweater!!!

PS- Today was amazing for the American Olympians- HUZZAH!! I have to say though, I'm now a devoted follower and cheering section for the Norwegian Men's Curling Team. It may be a lot because of their pants. And the fact that they're from Norway. But a lot has to do with the pants.
PPS- I'm working tomorrow night while the Men's Figure Skating finals are on for the long program. You can believe I am not happy about that. Watch it for me? :)

List

It's late, so this might be short.

1. How did it become the middle of February without telling me? Who's in charge of these things? Don't they realize that people have things to do without having the month creep by and suddenly whoosh be over halfway through?
Conspiracy, I tell you.

2. Motivation for the Dale was high... then sunk down again as reading assignments grew more numerous. Add to that the whole month-whooshing-by thing and it's starting to look dismal.

3. I biked today since it was finally warmer outside and it'll save me monies from parking. I forgot also that this means it's slushy and wet outside. My mud-soaked pants will not let me forget again.

4. I have tomorrow off after a meeting with a professor at noon.

5. I need to do laundry.

6. The place where I normally do laundry (for free) has access to watching the Olympics.

7. This place also has a coffee maker.

8. Conclusion- tomorrow I will be doing homework, laundry, knitting, drinking coffee, and watching the Olympics.
Tomorrow = awesome. :)