peaceful weekend

{mom made doughnuts the other day. tons of doughnuts! we have a tradition to make doughnuts after we have a blizzard. i like this tradition. fresh home-made doughnuts are oh-so delightful. unfortunately they are filled with about a million calories, but who cares??}

I love quiet mornings and afternoons. I got up late so I'm still considering this my "late morning." Even though it's afternoon. Last night my friend Alanna and I went off to Scattergoods dance. It was the first time for both of us to attend. They have it every month, but it's a 40 minute drive so I've never gotten around to driving out there until last night. So much fun. The last time I went to a contra dance was in St. Louis a couple years ago. Last night people kept asking me if I danced and I would explain that I do a lot of mid-19th century dancing, which always ended up in a rather long explanation of what exactly that is. By the time we got home it was past midnight and this morning when I got up I discovered sore knees. I don't think I was want for a partner more than once the entire evening. People really like to dance at these things, and never stop! You also meet a lot of interesting characters. :) A few things I've learned from dancing through the years is one, always look your partner in the eyes. The first time I did this I felt very awkward, because let's face it, people have a really bad habit of looking around the room instead of at the person who you are talking to. It's not like they are going to bite your eyes off or anything. And and the next thing I've learned, when your partner spins you around, don't be afraid. He won't drop you. Just hold on and lean back, it's fun! I'm not sure if I'll be able to attend every dance, but hopefully I'll make it out there again. And maybe I can convince a few more people around here to come with me.


{wearing my new knitted hat, pattern by Ysolda.}

I'm looking out the window as I type this and the snow is blowing all over the yard. But I'm cozy warm inside, sipping my hot coffee and listening to Chopin. Yes indeed, this is what I call a relaxing Saturday. The cold weather has encouraged me to continue knitting and I keep finding patterns that I want to knit up. I've also begun this nasty habit of stopping by the local yarn store in town on my way home every Sunday. Last week I picked up a ball of some chunky weight wool yarn for the lovely Icing Swirl Hat I had to make by Ysolda. It was so easy to make and I'm already beginning another one that I plan to give to someone eventually. It's nice and cozy warm and I really like how it looks. My latest obsession is this knitted neck tie {via 16_sparrows}. I need to look and see if I have any appropriate yarn for this project or if I have to go back to the knit shop tomorrow once again and pick up something else.

Recently I discovered a new channel {to me} on YouTube. {Youtube, how I love thee.} It has tons of great movies I've been wanting to see for a long time. Or other movies I had never heard about and a great bunch of pre-code films too! Last night after coming home from the dance I just had to finish a movie I started earlier that day. It's called Private Lives {more info on imdb.com} and it was made in 1931, which makes it pre-code. I always find pre-code films to be much more interesting and I found this movie quite hilarious. This part I found particularly funny, I think mostly because I didn't expect someone in a 1930s film to say "pompous ass," but it's said throughout the film, which makes it even more hilarious.

Amanda {Norma Shearer}: You're a pompous ass!
Victor{Reginald Denny}: Mandy!
Amanda: Pompous ass! That's what I said and that's what I mean! Blown out with your own importance!
Victor: Mandy! Control yourself!
Amanda: Get away from me!

I also found I am beginning to love Norma Shearer. I'd only ever seen her in one film before, so I am delighted to find she is in several other films this YouTube channel has to offer. I also want to mention the same for Robert Montgomery. What a delightful couple he and Norma make!

While I'm at it, I've just discovered the joys of Tumblr, thanks to Erica. :) It's a nice and easy way to keep track of things I find as I surf the web. Often times I will see something I want to remember and save a link only to find later I can't remember where I saved the link. This makes it so much more convenient.

Well I'm off to try and be somewhat productive today. Then later will probably go have coffee with Alanna. I am sad because she's going off to France on Tuesday and then from there to Vancouver, so I'm not sure when I'll see her next. I hate it when friends go off, but I'm happy for all the new experiences she will have and all the adventures that await her in a different country.

Be well. Stay warm.