SSS Days 4-12

Written by amandamonkey on September 12th, 2010

So, Rock Star and I just returned from a week of adventure that included a wedding and 5 days of paddling in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA).

I love vacation, but taking one at the end of summer is always a little bittersweet.  Even though I love Fall and its uniform (boots!  scarves!  wool skirts!), I always feel like we’re on a short slide to winter right about this time of year.

SSS Day 4 – We went to a wedding in Lake Geneva.  It was such a beautiful day and such a beautiful family.  I actually kept thinking that there was a possibility that I would make a dress for the occasion until around, oh, Wednesday, so my dear friend forced accompanied me to Anthropologie, where I bought a lovely dress.  Most of the dress is a heavy knit, so I can see myself wearing it with boots and a denim jacket for a more casual look this Fall.  Still dedicated to SSS, I bought an eggplant color that looks great with my gray Fountain Pen Shawl:

SSS Day 4

SSS Days 6-10 – Every day the same: Rusalka mitts from Knitting New Mittens and Gloves.  The wool kept my hands (mostly) warm, even when wet (which was often):

SSS Days 6-10

SSS Days 5&11(&12…) – Clapotis on travel days.  And today?  I am still feeling a little chilled after our recent change in temperature, so I’m wearing (::cough::) Clapotis.  Again.

SSS Days 5&11

Tomorrow, look for a skirt that is wholly inappropriate for a Fall day.

BWCA 2010

 

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SSS Days 2&3

Written by amandamonkey on September 4th, 2010

Wow.  This is going to be harder than I thought.  I mean, it would go so much more swimmingly if I weren’t so anal about the details in finishing projects.

Fortunately, I made it through two more workdays with self-stitched items.  Yesterday, I wore the tunic that I finished earlier this summer:
SSS Day 2

Top: Amy Butler Anna Tunic in Amy Butler Midwest Martini
Skirt: Banana Republic
Sunglasses: (sorry, can’t remember right now)

Today, it feels like Fall, so my self-stitched item was a knit:
SSS Day 3

Scarf: Claptotis (more details about the project here)
Shirt and sweater: J Crew
Sunglasses: Anthropologie

 

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In Which I Find Myself Completely Unprepared for Self-Stitched September

Written by amandamonkey on September 2nd, 2010

Self-Stitched September Day 1: Amanda wears her favorite Barcelona skirt.

 

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Self-Stitched-September

Written by amandamonkey on May 31st, 2010

Self-Stitched-September: One challenge to encourage myself to sew, knit, and blog more often.

 

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My First Mead

Written by amandamonkey on January 17th, 2010

Amanda makes mead, and the jury’s still out for the verdict.

 

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With Deep Apologies to My Fans…

Written by amandamonkey on October 13th, 2009

… I am in a writing rut.

May I distract you with ZEBRAS?

 

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Crisis Averted

Written by amandamonkey on September 27th, 2009

The problem: An aging KitchenAid Prestige washing machine.

The solution:  1 Phillips screwdriver, 4 screws, and 15 minutes to reconnect a hose to the load size-selector thingy.


The reward:  Hopslam!

 

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Support PAWS for a no-kill Chicago

Written by amandamonkey on September 27th, 2009

On Sunday, September 27, 2009, I will be participating in the Ninth Annual Run for Their Lives 8K Run/ 4K Walk to benefit PAWS Chicago. I invite you to support this event by joining in my belief that no dog or cat should be destroyed just because he or she is homeless. All runners and walkers will work to raise money to support PAWS Chicago’s targeted spay/neuter, innovative adoption and community outreach programs. Please help give Chicago’s homeless pets the lives they deserve by supporting my fundraising efforts today!

Merry Christmas

 

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Log Day 1: The Only Cure to a Real Hangover

Written by amandamonkey on September 22nd, 2009

One long, uneventful flight with a medical entomologist and two very bad flight meals later, I landed in Windhoek. It was blindingly bright – especially so after a dark, rainy summer in Chicago and 34+ hours in transit.

My fellow passengers and I all received a special colorful brochure, informing us that we had been exposed to the H1N1 (Swine Flu) virus. Welcome to Namibia!

A few minutes to clear customs and immigration and I finally saw Rock Star for the first time in a couple of weeks. With his full-on field beard (no comment). We hung out with a colleague of his who was heading out for a few minutes, then took the beautiful drive from the airport to Windhoek.

First views of Namibia

We quickly stopped by Camping Care Hire so I could sign their waiver and be added as a driver for this:

Our Constant Companion for 2 Weeks

Woot! I love trucks!

We tried to go to Pupkewitz MegaBuild for US-Namibia power adaptors and a poikie but they were ‘CLOSED FOR STOCK TAKE.’ Tomorrow is Sunday. Essentially everything but the grocery store will be closed, so we will have to find one as we drive around the country.

We’re staying at Hotel Safari in the capital city of Windhoek, which is quite a compound. They were recovering from a very full house of top SWAPO leaders as I arrived.

Hotel Safari

Dinner at Joe’s Beer House – finally, I’m feeling better – and I ordered the Devil’s spare ribs and a couple of Windhoek lagers. Rock Star had the game stroganoff. All was delicious and I was psyched at the prospect of a trip without the stomach troubles that had plagued me since I left Chicago.

The tables there are communal and we were eventually joined by an Italian couple and their guide – a blowhard Hemingway-wannabe Namibian who never shut up. Matt and I are so pleased to be without guidance.

Back at the hotel, I go to sleep contemplating the sign next to our table: “The only cure to a real hangover is death.”

 

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Log Day 0: Leaving on a jet plane

Written by amandamonkey on September 22nd, 2009

First steps on my trip to Namibia.

 

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