Here's some photos of Chicago, where we crammed a lot of sight-seeing into two days. Did the Chicago Institute of Art, the aquarium, the planetarium, the Field Museum, Sears Tower, and the University of Chicago (where Corey got his MBA). 
Ate Chicago-style pizza twice, once at Giordano's about an hour after we got off the plane (Corey couldn't get there fast enough) and once near the Chicago campus our second full day there). I'm okay with Chicago-style pizza. I like it well enough, but I prefer thin-crust. Had some really nice salmon at McCormick and Schmidt's and some good steak at Harry Caray's. 
I stayed up late the night before we left starting the Moebius scarf I mentioned. This is what it looked like after I finished the cast-on. It's hard to see, but this is a longish circular needle and the cable is looped around with stitches on it sort of in the shape they are in when they are packaged up. It looks pretty mangled. It's pretty funky. The instructions say it will look wrong (and it does), but to just keep on keepin' on. So I did. I was going to do a basket weave pattern, but my 170 cast-on stitches got reduced down to 165 in the first round (I wasn't going to count them all again and knew I wanted a multiple of five), so once I had done my k5, p5 pattern all the way through, I realized this was going to be a very short basket weave, basically every round I am knitting the purls and purling the knits. 
It looks fine even with the cast-on and first row not being in the basket weave. It is hard to photograph though, as it has the moebius twist in it and can't be laid flat, especially on the circular needle. I'm still on the first hank of the Schaeffer yarn and I am not sure how wide I am going to make this. I want it wide enough to pull up over my head but not so wide it makes an awkward cowl. I am LOVING this yarn. It is terribly soft and the colorway is named after some Italian opera singer but should be named "raspberry torte" because that is all I can think of when knitting it. You know, a dense, chocolatey flourless cake with dark chocolate ganache frosting, light chocolate mousse filling, and raspberry coulis drizzled over the top and around the plate.
It's a wonder I haven't gained 15 pounds knintting this thing, since I crave chocolate every time I pick it up.
I have a second hank I will probably go into on this scarf, and today I bought two more hanks for gloves and maybe a hat...and maybe a headband/ear warmer if I have leftovers.
Did I say I am LOVING this yarn?
So I joined a lace stole mystery KAL. I'm pretty into lace knitting and I like the idea of a stole rather than a shawl at this point. I went to the LYS in search of black Zephyr Wool Silk. They had a few other colors, but no black, and I really want black. Black lace....I know....but I'm not a total newbie to lace, so I think I can handle it. The pattern is a mystery, with pieces of the instructions issued every week or so, but the creator suggests black or white or cream to go along with the theme of the stole. I don't want a vanilla colored stole at this point. Black will be most versatile for me and since she suggests it, that is what I am going for. But the LYS failed me and I will have to order on-line. The pattern can also use beads if I want. I'm not sure about the beads, though. I'm not usually a bead kinda gal. And I want the stole to be something I can wear with a simple black top and pretty skirt in the summer for dressy casual occasions...beads seem more "holiday casual" in my eyes.
On the other hand, I've never knit with beads...so it would be interesting... and I haven't been in it and I'm not even sure it is still there, but a little bead boutique-like store opened a few blocks away some time ago and I've never had an excuse to go in.
Decisions, decisions....
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