Friday, February 01, 2008

Who're you calling a Blimp?


As you might have guessed, today's post is brought to you by the letter B!

One of my very favorite things is knowing that, depending where it's headed or returning from, I live directly in the flight path of the celebrated Goodyear Blimp!

This is the sight I see off my Back Balcony just at nightfall many an evening...This is what I saw last Friday at about 6:15 pm...


There are only three Blimps in the fleet these days and this is the Spirit of Innovation that's based in Pompano Beach, Florida, a town about 15 minutes north of me.

I'm not sure why but no matter how many times I've seen it, it still gives me a little thrill every time I do :)

You can read all about the history of the Goodyear Blimps here


Now for some Beauty--

Knitting and Knails!

Here's my latest sock and my latest mani...



Aren't they Both Beautemous? The sock is the Cardigan Sock by Ann Hanson and the knails are Kinky in Helsinki by OPI, of course. It was really hard to capture this rich, decadent color - it's a deep shimmering magenta and so so so pretty!

I am absolutely LOVING every stitch of this sock! I'm using Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sport in the Harvest colorway and it's knitting up like a dream! The Shepherd Sport is one of my very favorite yarns anyway but combined with this clever, stunning pattern it's knitting perfection, I tell ya!

The astute among you will also notice the amazing needles I'm using...yep, those are some Knitpicks Harmony fixed circs and I am completely ♥ smitten ♥. I'm not a die hard knitpicks fan, in fact I really don't care for their yarns very much and I find their other products just ok.

I purchased my Options fixed circ cause addi doesn't make a 2.25 mm which is my "go to" needle for socks and while I'll never give up my addi's, it do like the Options for magic loop. But I had a gift certificate for KP and I figured I'd give the Harmony a try, also for magic loop and I'm so glad I did! They are smooth and strong with just the right amount of grab, have a soft, malleable cable perfect for ML and they're beautiful. What's not to love? I have no plans to purchase sizes other than for socks but having them sure makes my sock knitting even more enjoyable - imagine that! :)

I know I promised a new non-sock project but that's just gonna have to wait til next time cause I didn't think Bullocks was an appropriate B post, heh... It's a beautiful vest for my Mom but I'm having lots of gauge issues and I've frogged the bloody thing five times now. It's a really fussy pattern as well and it's getting on my last nerve! So next time, I hope.

Here's my last B....but as they say, I've saved the best for last!

Bubba sleeps

But why a B you ask? Well, I confess I've taken to calling my boy Bubba!
I'm not sure why but it's true, I've nicknamed him Bubba and I think it's kinda cute. Well we do live in SOUTH Florida after all :)

See ya next week, happy weekend!


33 comments:

Opal said...

Beautiful knails and beautiful sock!

I think it's so funny that you've taken to calling the P-Man bubba! Since we've gotten Scheyer, we've been also been calling him "Little Bubba" and Quincy has since been dubbed "Big Bubba". Coincidence?

Opal said...

Wow. That wasn't very coherent was it? Blame it on the wild night I had at Aloha Knitters please. :-)

La Cabeza Grande said...

Oh, I just want to squeeze those paws and rub da Bubba belly!

Mighty handsome sock, by the way. hard to believe but that's one LL color I've never seen before.

Terri said...

The sock is really going to be striking, and I always admire your nails. Instead of Bubba Gump, you have Bubba Pump-kin... Happy knitting!

alt.ayu said...

oooh i love the nail color! I'm going to have to look for it! I can't wait to see the finished sock too~~ :) kitty hugs for p-man! Have a good weekend yourself :)

Carole Knits said...

Last summer when we were on vacation we kept seeing the Hood Blimp. It was really funny because it seemed like everywhere we went on Cape Cod - there it was. Then one day we were out for a drive and we came across it in a small airport just taking off. We watched the whole process and it was really cool to see. Thanks for bringing back this memory.
Oh, and tell Bubba that Mason Maggoo (his nickname) says hey.

Catherine said...

The MetLife blimp (the one with Snoopy) is still, I think, based in Orlando - though come to think of it I haven't seen it in months, maybe it has moved. Blimps are cool. Love the socks and the knails - I share your lukewarm feeling toward KnitPicks yarns, but I did buy the Options interchangeable needles and I do like them very much.

Bubba boy is so cute.

Dorothy said...

My sister has started calling my husband Bubba - it's their inside joke. I, too, am smitten with the Harmonys. There has been some complaint about the color, but I love the colors! Pretty jazzy. I like also that they're stronger than other woodens, even in the tiny sizes - and those points!!

jordi said...

I will admit it, having 2 cats myself, and knowing it was a "B" day, the first work in MY head when I looked at the picture was....butt.
Oh well, we all have our hot buttons.
Love the sock too!

Nana Sadie said...

I am NOT surprised you love the Harmonys! :) But in my case they're my needle of choice for almost everything! (Still love my Addi Lace needles, tho') Oh, except when knitting dark yarns...

Anyway - LOVE those knails! Must see if I can find that color...and the socks are gorgeous - but then just about anything Anne touches turns out that way, doesn't it?

Bubba? P_Man? Well, perhaps!
(((((hugs)))))

Anonymous said...

Love that sock!

Love "Bubba" more. How do you resist that belly? the cute little toes? Cuteness!

Carol said...

Great sock, great nails! I can't imagine you ever having a problem with a pattern! Must be errors in it ;-) Tell Bubba Ol aunt Carol says hai!

Agnes said...

I think I am not in the direct path, but sometimes I saw the Goodyear Blimp too. You're right, it did make one feel thrilled.
I was hoping the Addi lace would have more sizes too ... but maybe I would give the Harmony a try too.

Kris said...

Because you're southern, its in the handbook. We call all our special little guys bubba or bubbie. Bubbie is my personal favorite.

Anonymous said...

I just love blimps. I swear there must be a blimp flight school in St. Louis, because one week this summer I saw 3 different blimps in a week. All about 8:00 a.m.! Well before any sports game.

Batty said...

Beautiful sock and mani! And the beastie is cute as can be. What a fuzzy little guy!

Vicki Knitorious said...

Several years ago, after a long absence, the Goodyear blimp made a return to Lambeau Field, which is about 20 minutes from my house, and flew low, right over my yard -- it was absolutely THRILLING.

Love all your Bs. ; )

Anonymous said...

I grew up in northwest Florida (aka The Redneck Riviera) and I call my brother Bubba. Come to think of it I call any male with whom I have a close relationship Bubba.

WandaWoman said...

Love the new mani. I have the same shade at home.

Petunia said...

Was good to know that the Goodyear Blimps are still flying out of Pompano. Lived there for years, but many years ago - PBSHS, Class of '67!!

Jana said...

Wow, that is the prettiest nail color ever. Where do you find them? They don't even have it on the opi website, I did find it on ebay, tho.

Anonymous said...

What beautiful nails and your socks are so pretty too!

Kat said...

Love the knails! The knitting is fabulous, too, of course!

The pics of Bubba are irresistible as usual.

There's a little something on my blog for you. :-)
http://creativepopoffs.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

He's adorable no matter what you call him! I just love that little guy :)

Knice Knails and Knitting!

Meg said...

Wouldn't it be great to travel by blimp. I imagine it would be very relazing. Now you've got me wondering where they keep the blimps in Australia? (Do we even have blimps? Surely I've seen one at a sporting event?)

Knittinreed said...

Love the Blimp, Socks, Nail and Bubba :-)

Jessica said...

Love the sock! And your Boy is cuter than cute as always. :)

Lorette said...

Great sock, great nails! And Bubba is very cute. It cracked me up when we lived in Texas, there were actually guys really named Bubba. Our plumber had "Bubba" embroidered on his shirt.

Anonymous said...

Pretty socks! And knails! And handsome Bubba, too!

I wish I'd looked you up while I was in Florida -- you were just a few towns away! I was visiting my sister in Greenacres. Turned out her whole family was sick for much of our visit, so our movements were limited.

Next time I come down, I'll give you a shout!

Susanne said...

I have a wonderful story to tell you about one of the Goodyear Blimps. My now son-in-law proposed to my dd in one over the coast of California. His family had worked for GY for many years and he & dd were about to "blend" a family so were in CA for a vacation. Also they were spending time with his parents who live in CA. With all 4 kids on board and in front of them he got down on one knee and proposed! It indeed was a memorable blimp ride for everyone!

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Romi said...

Hee. We all love seeing the blimp too! Great manicure, and Bubba, as always, is totally adorable no matter wwhat you call him. :)

Jana said...

Deb -
I just got the nail color from ebay and it is my new fave, second only to I'm not really a waitress. You are the best enabler, I swear I had about all the Smooshy colors until you used that color that looks like a carmel apple - great now I need that one too!!!
I know I posted once already, but love the color so much - thanks!!