Watching TAR with Wannietta - X

If Team D'Andrew can overcome an additional task they totally deserve to be final three.
Dallas must be an accomplished Pictionary player.
Either the picture is good enough or not Tina. I think that repeating words that the man doesn't understand isn't going to be more helpful.
Saying that your track record has been "spotty" Dan is like saying that the ocean is a bit big.
Wouldn't it have been the bomb if Sean Connery would have been actor from The Hunt for Red October giving out the clue?
Awwww - that almost makes me feel sad for Andrew & Dan - no pedestrian deserves to be drowned by street water.
I wouldn't have thought that Dallas was the more cerebral on their team, but maybe Toni knows something that I don't.

Have we ever seen a more pitiful team in the final four?
"I need a jacket". "I need a hood". "Just stop". "I love you too". "Just go away".
God, what a bitch.
Good on ya Nick!
Poor Dallas ...
Will Tina actually help Dallas? I think not so much.
Ride the Rails or Ride the Lines
Ride the Rails looks freaking complicated ... and I'm sure that at least one of the teams will eat the pastry if the clue doesn't say not to.
I think that I'd go with Ride the Lines, but looks confusing either way.
Moment of truth for Tina - and she comes through. I think that she's good with men who are not Ken.
Poor Andrew ...
Tina tooting her own again.
Oh Snap!!! Losing the money would be bad enough, but how does he figure he's going to get out of the country without a passport? I'd've been chasing down every black cab in sight!!

Dan is looking a wee bit pleased at Toni & Dallas's misfortune. And I don't think that Toni bought his lame-assed effort at sincerity either.
I don't think that taking the subway is a viable option - the clue said, "take a taxi".
Nick & Starr are rockin' out!
And it came back to bite Toni & Dallas in the ass.
Unfortunately, given the speed bump & Dan's (lack of) skills, Toni & Dallas may still have time to beg for money & get back in time.
Aw crap, Tina is never going to let Ken forget that she said, "Isn't it the one with the wires?".
Yes Tina, you were right.
The dance master should really give Team D'Andrew something for enthusiasm. There ya go!!
Who should be more offended - white boys or Jewish boys?
Nick & Starr totally deserve to run for the $1,000,000.00
Holy Shit - I can't believe that they actually edged out Ken & Tina!!
Toni & Dallas!!! It's not over yet!!!

Toni & Dallas gave it a good shot. Dallas will probably beat himself up for a while about this one; I hope that they find the passports.
I pretty confident that Nick & Starr will cross the finish line 1^st too.

Watching TAR with Wannietta - IX

Of course Andrew & Dan will continue to make crucial mistakes; a cannot change it's spots.
Ah - that's the earliest not necessarily the quickest.
Yeah, I mean who needs to negotiate Tina? I mean, we know it's a race but it's also a race on a budget.
Hey Dallas, if you get with Starr then everything that she's won is yours too.
OMG - I forgot about their lack of shoes! Too funny man.
Team D'Andrew - that's hilarious too!!!
It's an airport dudes - did you think that anything was going to be cheap?
"I mean, if you don't mind looking like an idiot". Yeah. Okay. An idiot in sandals compared to an idiot in hotel slippers. Battle of the Idiots!
That guy didn't even look at where Nick & Starr wanted to go.
"Looks churchy". Must be all of the crosses.
He's asking a bus driver 'cause bus drivers are da shit Tina!!!
Boots or Borscht
Not so much with me and the coordination.
I'm totally down with ladling out though.
Toni & Dallas are lucky that they don't have to march all day - those loose wraps are potential blisters.
I'm not sure that American marching is going to cut it with the Russians.
Awwww, bad luck sucks Starr.

I guess Andrew's more about the socks.
I don't know if they will appreciate Tina's flair.
You only think that it's a bad decision because it wasn't your call Dan.
Enthusiasm must count for something - that and I'm sure that being blonde didn't hurt.
Speaking of G.I.Jane - I wonder if there will be hair cutting Fast Forward.
Another critical mistake - and yes, a Frat Boys/Team D'Andrew blooper real would be hilarious.
It almost seems like it would be mean and bully-ish to laugh at Dan.
I fancy myself an adequate writer when the occasion calls for it, and yet I am struggling for words. Perhaps a comparison. He marches like Elaine Benis dances. It is sad and yet hilarious (even in Russian) making tears the perfect response.

I wonder if the are charging a flat rate or a time/mileage charge?
You go Dallas!!
I don't think that doing one bag at a time and having to make twice as many trips would be less work.
Back to the soup - deja vu all over again!
I don't know as how the are so much laughing with Team D'Andrew as laughing at them.
Good thing that their cabbie doesn't speak English - he'd have the Frat Boys out on the side of the road.
Dallas is young Toni - he'll be just fine. Sore tomorrow I'm sure, but fine.
Nick is going to have to do it one bag at a time.
She says "take a break, don't push it" but her heart says .
Dan.
Why do Nick & Starr always have such a hard time getting cabs?


Especially considering that he doesn't speak English, I don't know how "understanding" that he's going to be. Team D'Andrew may be in between a rock and a hard place.
I'm so happy for Dallas & Toni!!
Amanda thinks that Kyle & I should do TAR. Yeah, when he's old enough to be not a jackass.
Maybe Dan should let the tears well up.
OMG - will they offer their shoes?
Even a simple Russian cabbie knows that they're not really worth what you paid for them Dan.
That cabbie knows a lost cause when he sees it.
Shit - I cannot believe the luck that these two have. This may be the end of them though - as much trouble as they have with tasks, having to do an extra task ... I don't know if there is enough Lucky Charms in the free world!

Looks like I'm going to have to break out the Elaine Benis video again

Now This is Tiny!!

Micro knitting indeed! click on the "Enter key" phrase, then the password is sweaterxxs. Enjoy!!! Coraline looks like a must see!!!

Watching TAR with Wannietta - VIII

10:14PM depart - can you even imagine how much this race messes with your sleep cycles?
A farm - my eyes are watering at the remembering of the smell.
Good idea Toni - get him away from that temptress!
Thrilled at going to Kazakhstan - why? Is there something in Kazakhstan that I need to put on my bucket list?
That green came out of Tina's hair really well.
Way to help Ken pick up his/your stuff Tina.
Which ticket agent can type faster?!? Poor Terence & Sarah. Poor Andrew & Dan.
"Don't count your chickens before they're hatched". Someone was bound to come out with it.
Oh snap!!! The chicken farm doesn't open until 7:30 - equalizing time.
Cool - even the Frat Boys made it.
Fast Forward - local delicacies scare me.
ass fat - homey don't play dat!!
While I'm glad that someone is challenging Nick & Starr for the FF but I don't know if Terence & Sarah have it in them to complete the task.
C'mon - scatter those chickens.
WTG Toni!!!
I wonder if they get to drive the giant crane trucks? That would rock!
I didn't really think so, it's just the bus driver in me that wanted to see them drive it.
Run with sliding feet - the chickens sense of self-preservation will kick in & they'll move.
Well at least Terence is true to his own self. Vegetarians everywhere are standing a little taller tonight.
Will Sarah bully him into just eating it or will it be a long cab ride back to the chicken farm?
Will Nick & Starr be able to eat the "meat"?

Apparently Terence's personal ethics are worth a 20% shot at $1,000,000.00 .
Vegetarians everywhere are making Terence the bull's eye on their dart boards and hanging their heads in shame because he totally couldn't pull it off anyway.
Play like Men or Act like Bulls
I'm a village idiot at music ...
Geez - that seems like a lot of travelling, in costume!
I think that Starr is going to totally lose it.
I'm sure that Kazakh is nothing like English and really, why would they care?
Just because they don't understand the words that are coming out of your mouth doesn't make them zombies or horrible.
And I'm sure that it's not a lack of desire to help you - or maybe they do understand English and they just don't like your Frat Boy attitude.

Nick & Starr must have packed their Crest - check out those gleaming white teeth.
It's not a "bladder" Dallas - it's an "udder".
Hmmmm, Dallas didn't have such a trouble finding someone to speak English.
The Frat Brothers are acting like brothers.
"Isn't that another team?" Really - do you think that very many Kazakhstanis walk around in cow costumes Tina?
Tina deserves to lose - not reading the clues at all this week.
I'm sure that there is a Nobel prize in there somewhere - the physics & weight distribution in costume wearing.
I like how Tina blames "we" when she bones it up.
Well, Dan & Andrew are going to continue the race in sock feet - that should be interesting.
Dan is going to take the heat for the cab & the - I'm sure that Andrew won't let him forget it.

I'm having a hard time to pick a team to cheer for. Terence & Dan are both such downers.
I kind of want the Frat Boys to win so that I can see them continue without shoes. I know, but it would be funny!

But ... Geez - Phil had me going there, I thought that it was going to be another non-elimination leg.

OMG - Dan is whiter than I could have imagined! He marches like Elaine dances on Seinfeld.

Watching TAR with Wannietta - VII

Argh - I'm finally getting around to watching last week's episode!

I think that this leg will make it or break it for Ken & Tina.
8:55AM - finally a normal leave time!
Have you ever heard of a cabbie who would admit to not knowing where somewhere was?
How old are Kelly & Christy again? 16?
Messy, but if you do it in the spirit of the thing it shouldn't be horrible. As long as it's not a lead-based dye that they're inhaling.
Starr is worried about her makeup?
Dallas looks good in pink.
Geez - they're really picking on Kelly. I actually feel bad for her.
Again Kelly & Christy aren't reading the clues so well.
Sarah's really getting the hang of stroking Terence's ego.
LMAO - wild rave party where the hot blonde girls didn't show up. What a perfect description!

Well, better late than never to read the clue right.
Like any taxi wants all that paint up in his cab.
I bet that Ken's just a wee bit happy that Tina's getting painted up.
Imagine that - a part of the world in which Kelly & Christy are not the epi-centre.
Bleary Eyed or Teary Eyed
Kerwyn & I could totally rock out Bleary Eyed. Kerwyn is excellent at concentrating.
Grinding whole chili peppers into a rough powder by hand sounds painfully endless.
Terence's strength is getting physical? I must have missed that part.
Again the opportunity to question Kelly & Christy's maturity arises.
They certainly aren't very careful with that holy water, are they?
Butter wouldn't melt in that Nick's mouth.
I wonder how permanent that paint is - I think green suits Tina, but she might not like it so much.
Sure, Terence encourages Sarah to keep going so that he can wimp out.

OMG - that's an easy fare. They pay you and they walk while clearing traffic.
Funny little man had them going for a minute!
Toni & Dallas!!!
Incredible suffering - okay, there's a couple of white people coughing from pepper fumes. Has Sarah looked around her lately?
Funny little man has no time for Andrew & Dan wasting his time.
The Divorcees really thought that they'd see all of the little tags from a moving vehicle>
Darn - Nick & Starr again.
Maybe Sarah will quit whining now. I don't think that there is ever a "good" task choice - it's a matter of making the best of the one that you choose.
God I love that little sewing maching man. And really Tina, that wasn't a push. It was putting you back in your place you annoying woman.
C'mon Andrew & Dan!!!

You're just a giver Tina - all the way. Though it was nice of you to take pity on the Frat Boys.
"There's too many cars on the road". Yes, that would be a leading cause of gridlock worldwide.

I will not be sad to not see Kelly & Christie again.
Did Kelly put on lipstick/gloss before hitting the check-in? I think so!!

Nordic Bo Peep and Long Lost Sheep Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

Nordic Bo Peep and Long Lost Sheep Costume GIVEAWAY!!!!

Stitches East

I have had an unforgettable experience this weekend. Being a part of Elise's book, Knit one Below, seeing the garments that I knit on live models and photographed so very well in the book, teaching people how easy it is to k1b and seeing them planning what yarns to start experimenting with is a high that I may never come down from. The book has sold out here yesterday!!! Congratulations Elise - I really hope that this is just the first of many books.

I got my 2nd set of Signature Needles - aren't they gorgeous??!! sorry 'bout the glare Cathy, Daniella & Laura are so nice; they let me sit in their booth on Friday and knit on Amanda's sweater and extol the virtues of these wonderful tools that really do change everything.

I knit a swatch of the Therapi that Joe had given me. I'm generally quite skeptical of yarn that claims overtly soothing properties, but I have to say that this yarn has a je ne sais quois about it that is calming. The 20% silk gives it a wonderful lustre but the jadeite fibre is backing it up and plays a subtle suppporting role. It flows through your hands with a mercurial ease; it's like you're sensing the yarn more than commanding it.
I knit it to the suggested tension of 20 sts, but if I were doing a straight-up stockinette stitch sweater I would probably go a bit tighter. It took well to cables and lace. I have yet to block it - I'll let you know how that affects my opinion on the cables.

I'm off to do my part to stimulate the American economy for a couple more hours before I hit the road. I've got Amanda DVR'ing The Amazing Race for us - I won't be able to watch/blog it until tomorrow ...