fun stuff

enjoy

growl

i didn't want to do it. they made me. i'm in the new blogger. oy. we'll see how this works.

anyway, i was supposed to post a pic of the bunting from hell last friday, but i got lazy. so here it is:

This is the third picture i took of this little bugger, and i had to go outside to do it. the bright bits don't pop as much as they appear in this pic, but you know how that crap goes. as miss vi put it at S&B thursday, baby could play outside in the arctic and be comfy! it's soft, but my god, is it dense!

And my contribution to the Holiday Headstart thingie:

i know it's a dishcloth. i've had this cone of peaches & cream for over a year, with the intent of making holiday dishclothes for my family & friends, and never got 'round to it. so this is #1. who knows what else i'll make for the holidays. i'm not inspired yet, i'm still worn out from last month!

other knitting progress. i got hat/bootie set #1 started. the booties are done and the hat is in the decreasing stage. i'll post a pic as soon as it's done. i did have to cheat a bit, as i ran out of the yarn i was using.

i'm up to the hood on the dragon sweater. now all i gotta do is assemble, knit spots and attach, and figure out how i'm going to close it (i really don't wanna use a zipper. oh, and the ridge. mustn't forget the ridge.

that leaves me 2 more sets of hats/booties, and norbert. ugh.

i'm definitely cutting back for next month!

and since i know you've had a hankerin' for this, here we go:

you might be a redneck if you carry more than two extra tires in the back of your truck.

. . . you've taken a pregnancy test and a sobriety test on the same day.

. . .you were married in a Laundromat.

. . . you think a "sex change" means trying the backseat.

. . . a screwdriver is required to open the trunk of your car.

. . . your bucket seats are real buckets.

And i've already started myself out behind on the Pattern a Day calendars. sigh.

Let's finish out 2006, shall we?

Knitting

9/1-3: Hooded Baby Sweater. At least i think it is, lol. another one of those patterns i pulled out to work. i may have to change it a bit for the purpose i have, but it is cute!

9/4: Silly Snake Scarf. Very cute, but it's done on a knitting machine. sigh.

9/5: Autumn Shrug. This is supposed to be one size fits most (i'll be glad when they get rid of that "all" thing. most things that fit "all" don't fit me!).it's hard to gauge this pattern (get it, gauge? ok, i'll just review then, since you obviously do not appreciate my comedic talent (sniff)), because there's one crappy pic. i don't thinkso, though.

9/6: Julia's Hat. At first i just thought this was an ordinary short-row hat. then i looked closer. teh "popcorn" is very un-bobble-like, and the fringe is actually knit in as well. rock on!

9/7: Opal Fall POncho. made with doublestranded sock yarn. i can think of a better use for sock yarn, like socks for A4A (go knit a pair for them, they want 250 prs by March 7. let's blow their doors off!)

Crocheting:

2006

9/1: Strip Method Rose Pattern. Really pretty. i could see attaching a lot of these on hats (not my type of hat, but i know a lot of people who like those kinds of hats)

9/2-3: Dolls! I could see making a plethora of these for little girls. wheee! (there's that granny lust going again!)

9/4-5: Framed Sunset. this is a Dude square. very nice. but too lacey for most of my purposes.

9/6: Universal Shell Lace Hat. this is very nice. and simple. and SOOOOOOOOOO not me, not in that namby pamby peach pastel crap. gimme color!

9/7: Fall Poncho. Doesn't any body get that ponchos are out again? Huh?

ok, i'm tired, i'm going to go take a nap now. gotta gear up for the PARTY CELEBRATION!

(steph's 21, today, wait for the post, lol)

never forget

auschwitz is crumbling. the Holocaust deniers would have you believe this is all made up by a bunch of paranoid jews.

i don't know anyone who survived the camps. i don't even know anyone who's parents/grandparents/great-grandparents survived. but we must never forget.

those who forget are destined to live history again.

Dilatory

if you don't know what it means look it up.

my stab at educating the world, i suppose!

and i'm so excited! i just listed my first item on etsy.com!

go look! i'll wait!

this is what i'm selling:
i know, it's not a lot, but it's there! this is some domestic wool blend that ms vi had for sale at the OW&SG last fall. i hadn't bought it with the intent of selling, but i need money, and this turned out quite well. and yes, i do have permission from ms vi to use her name when i listed this. it's approximately 169 yards of dk-worsted weight. and yummy! i had to wait 2 days to get enough sun to take a pic, sigh.

I finally finished the Bunting from Hell. i'll post a pic after i wash it (joplin kept trying to sleep on it). as ms violet said last night at S&B, it's so thick & warm a baby could play outside in the arctic and be comfey. the dragon sweater continues apace. i'm up to the second sleeve. miss vi is looking for sock pattern designers for her book, so i'm digging up stitch dictionaries and needles & yarn like mad, lol! and i've been doing alot of the funfur scarves for robyn . i'm up to 7. i did one at S&B last night, and just gave it to her when i wove in the last end.

life has been a tad bit boring, lately. the usual rounds of school, home, my house, my mom, etc. i got my van back monday night. i was in the driver's seat for approximately 4 hours that night, sigh. i had to drive to blair to pay for steph's car (she better be getting a doozy of a refund!), then have her follow me back to council bluffs with the van so we could take the in-laws thunderbird back to them, then drove the girls back to blair, then came home. didn't eat dinner til almost 8, sigh.

oh wait, there was one interesting thing that happened. go see this. i'll be doing some baking around here!

my hubby loves me! he tried to surprise me with it, but i caught him with his credit card out, and closing a window on the computer so i couldn't see. he finally broke down and told me monday. this is my valentine's gift, and 6 month anniversary gift, and "baby you treat me so well" gift.

What i'm reading now:
John Adams by David McCullough (book tape at mark's (almost done!)) (ok, i just heard "the end!")
Witch Hunt by Ian Rankin (booktape at my house)
The Egyptologist by Arthur Phillips(booktape in the van)
Knitgrrl by Shannon Okey
Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell Hamilton
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

and i'm off like a herd of turtles again!

well.. .

i know, it's been a while. and i've been lazy about posting. how about a couple of pics to make up for it?
This is a hat/bootie set that i made a commitment for to match a sweater that someone else on the AC4C board is making. i've timed myself on these booties, and minus seaming, they take 50 minutes each. i think with seaming it's an hour. and i have the pattern memorized. gotta love it. the hat is the knitting-in-the-round on straight needles from the twisted sisters sock workbook. i love that technique! i've made another set since this one, lol, but it's to go with a flamingo-colored sweater i just finished last night. i'm actually starting to be a bit hopeful that i will finish everything i committed to this month. i'm almost done with the blasted bunting; i just have to knit the sleves, seam it, and sew on the buttons. oh wait, i was also going to fake a hood to put on it. growl.

the dragon sweater continues apace, although it's kinda stalled out. can't tell you why i don't particularly care to work on it, but it's not inspiring me much. i have the back, left front, and most of the right front done. i need to finish the right front, the sleeves, the hood, and then do the colored patches and the back ridge. i also need to do a pair of booties for this. and norbert. arrrrrrrrrrgh! (dragon sounds, ya know!)

the flamingo set is done! woohoo!

then i need to do 3 more hat/bootie sets in red, blue, and variegated pink. none of those are started yet, but they are quick to make.

and what am i doing right now? i just cast on a fun fur scarf for robyn over at warm with love. she's collecting them for a breast cancer thing. go ask her, she'll give you the skinny.

I've been doing a lot of spinning lately, as well. i just finished a roving dyed by miss vi, and it's very pretty. i just signed up for an etsy shop, so it may go on there if i can get decent piccage soon (prays for s un!)

What I'm reading now:
John Adams by David McCullough (book tape in mark's house, i'm getting there, it's got 26 cd's, and i'm on 22!)
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Knitgrrl: Learn to Knit by Shannon Okey
Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell Hamilton (Anita Blake, Vampire hunter, yummy!)
The Egyptologyst by Arthur Phillips (booktape in the van, when i get it back!)
Eat Right 4 Your Type by Peter D'Amado (this one just moved to the top of the queue, it's overdue, and i just tried to renew it and it wouldn't let me, sigh)
Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

no booktape at my house cuz i just finished one this afternoon.
ok, well, i'm off like a herd of turtles.

float like a butterfly, sting like a bee

Edit: i had a link to muhammed ali, as it was his birthday, hence the title. there was supposed to be a blurb about fighting the big fight now, etc, etc, after "there'll never be another like.. ." growl. i also had a bit about a 72-year old man who was rookie of the year in 1966 for NASCAR, who is trying to qualify for the Daytona 500 this year. and blogger just ate it like so many cookies. crap.
there'll never be another like coffee to perk themselves up? just be careful where it's coming from. anymore, you have to watch the sources of ANYTHING you buy nowadays!

ok, on to mundane crap.

it's a good thing i love my daughter. she called me tuesday morning telling me that her car wouldn't start. with the extreme cold, it didn't surprise me. it's an older car (1990!). i told her i wouldn't be able to make it up there, so she took preVTO until 4. she ended up taking the whole day off, cuz she absolutely could not get the bloody thing to jump start. on top of that, she couldn't get her trunk open, either. i think the lock froze. so i told her i'd come yesterday morning, and we'd try again. nothing. just a click. so i'm thinking battery. i took her to work, and then after she called for me to pick her up, we got a new battery, and went back to blair to replace it. THREE fucking hours later, we got the new battery in. mark had sent wrenches to take the cables off, but forgot to send something to take the stabilizer block off the battery. we ended up going to Pamida to buy a cheap socket set, took apart the air filter cover, and finally got the battery changed. click. FUCK! by this time we were both frozen solid, because while the temps were in the mid 20's, there was a good south wind, which was blowing the snow off the roof of the apartment building and into our faces. it took TWO cups of tea to warm me up enough to sleep last night.

to cap everything else off, steph has a dog, and i swear that thing is either part jack russell terrier, or she's got springs in her legs and rubber in her butt! she would NOT stop jumping, no matter what. i finally got a hand in her collar, and made her sit. EVERY TIME I WALKED INTO THE APARTMENT. damned dog. i know she's a puppy, but those damned claws hurt. and yes, for those of you who have dogs, i praised her every time she sat still for me, but it was a struggle. i'm done raising babies, oy.

ok, enough bitching.

no pics, i'm too frigging lazy to download them. in case you haven't noticed, it's 6 in the blessed a.m.

however, there's progress on everything, including the cursed bunting. i need to get my butt in gear though, today's the 18th, and i want to mail everything on the 1st of february. move it, move it, move it!

ok, i'm scramming now. i gotta get the boys up in 15 minutes, and i want a little more quiet time.

to drink, perchance to dream

ok, i found this really cool site on the L&V message board (i always do, don't i?)

it's this. this week's challenge is to write a piece of poetry with the magnetic poetry kit, and there are several online resources. then, create a piece of artwork that pertains to the poem.

here's my poem (i picked the shakespeare kit, lol)

Methinks a dream drunk
Doth measure melancholy
Though it deceiveth me
As if I were a drunkard myself.

i'll be posting my artwork later. too cool!

well

here's a few things i found and saved JUUUUUUUUUUST for y'all:http://www.monstercrochet.com/TomatoPattern.html these are so frigging cute! go ahead, and cruise the site in general. they've got bits like severed fingers.
and this sounds cool! i think it's much better than american idol, fer sure. i may even try to enter! now, where did i put that manuscript?

i don't have any pics, i'm too lazy. i've also been sick all day, blech. which leads to my simple pleasure: having a man who is willing to take care of it all when i can't, and i know is capable of it. a HUGE front came through, and i was miserable and achy all day. my arthritis was kicking up, i was achy, and i was verging on a migraine all day. i did get up and function to the point of making lunch for the boys (if you can call heating a can of soup and cutting up an avocado making lunch). mark asked if i would take the boys over to my house for a few hours so they could scoop, and he could get a few hours of alone time, since he didn't get his afternoon yesterday (i'll explain more later). the boys scooped, then came in and read. i finished up the roving that erin got for me in Minneapolis a year and a half ago. i've been spinning on this since last summer. and i actually got something similar to what i had on the previous bobbin! i started plying, but we'd been there over 2 hours at that point, and with the snow coming down, i thought we'd better scoot. i'll show you pics when i get it plied. i'm planning on making marnie's gloves that she's just posted. go see, they're cool! it's a different color than she's got, but i still think they'll be nice.

i'm still knitting away on charity stuff. however, i did finish the test sock for miss lime. remind me to tell her about any corrections! i cast on the other sock thursday night (she got to see the finished one, i kitchenered the toe at S&B), but haven't gotten far. i've been knitting away on this. i'm not using any of the recommended yarns. this is for AC4C for one of the sets for BOL. it's a dragon set! i'm also going to do matching booties, and norberta (i'm rechristening her a him as norbert, as this is a boy's set!) from knitty. this will be an extra toy. the yarn i'm using? Caron's Simply Soft Brites in Limeade & Lemonade. the trim is in lemonade. in order to get gauge, i double stranded it (it's a very light worsted, almost DK) and go down 2 needle sizes to a 9. typical for me. i also went to hobby lobby last weekend because i thought i was out of the confetti bright & lofty for the bunting in progress. they didn't have any black, so i bought some of the hobby lobby yarn bea boucle. i thought it MIGHT work. of course, in my perambulations around my house, i discovered another 3 skeins of the confetti, plus another skein of the black that i'm already using. sigh. i'm sure i'll find a use for it. if nothing else, i'll double strand it with some black wool to make it warmer, and ship it off to dulaan.

speaking of wool, i was bad. i had heard that personal threads carried dyes, and i needed a size 9 needle (can't find any of mine, lol), so i headed down there on the last day of the sale, yesterday. ok, so i'm weak. i bought 4 more skeins of malabrigo, and 5 skeins of Galway worsted. my credit card is whimpering. especially since i finally found the link to dudleyspinner's roving. goodness. and she had one named Sean. i HAD to buy that one. (and a few others, sigh). hey, she was having a sale! when it got to my house, sean was so thrilled that he carried it around with him, and lost it in his room. sigh. liam said, "isn't there one named for me?" so i emailed deb. she asked what colors he liked, and he said black, blue & red. i joked to her that it sounded like a bad scrape. she came back with "does he want gravelly bits in it?" he thought that was so funny that he agreed, it could have grey flecks in it! too funny. anyway, so she gave that to me at the sale price as well! i'll see if i can find the link.

i have all my calendars here, but i'm too tired & lazy to go get them, since there's no room on the computer desk for them here at mark's.

The reason why mark didn't get his quiet time yesterday is because the high schools have started holding open houses. liam is in the 8th grade. we have to pick a high school soon, and central had their open house yesterday. we're going to go check out 2 more high schools. all 3 are relatively close to us (approximately 15 minutes drive time, or so). there are 2 we are focusing on specifically, because we think they would be good for him, and for sean as well (sean insists that he will go to the same high school as liam, which is probably good for both of them). liam was so overwhelmed by everything that we didn't stay over an hour, and didn't really get into any of the presentations, other than the main one. i personally like the school. it's almost 100 years old, and feels comfortable to me. i grew up in a high school like this (only a lot smaller, lol). i do believe this was the first high school in nebraska. we'll see though. mark and i have agreed that at this point, liam is old enough to participate in this decision. wow. my babies are growing up.

knitting like a fiend

i've been a busy girl. of course the pictures are all at mark's computer! i finished a pair of toddler mittens. oh wait! i posted these on the L&V Sock Marathon! bet i can post the pic! hang on!
woohoo! it worked! these are made with handspun from an etsy shop called perchance to knit. i don't remember the link, or else i would. however, everything else i've done hasn't been photographed yet, so don't worry. i'll post pics later. i've finished the back to the bunting from hell (appropriate that it's black, eh?) i've also finished a pair of booties, and am on the decreases for a matching hat. i think i may have overdone it for AC4C this month, lol. and by the way? it's Bundles of Love, not Babies. oh well, i had the right idea!

I've got some calendar catching up to do!
you might be a redneck if you 've given an oil change as a wedding present.
. . . you've ever used jumper cables to start your washing machine.
. . . you still have scars from the last family reunion.
. . . just thinking about your beard causes others to lose sleep.
. . . your eyeliner is a sharpie (or tattoos?)
. . . there is an electronic singing fish in more than three rooms of your house (hmmmm, the under-the-sea room, miss lime?)
. . . you've ever had your picture taken next to a Dale Earnhardt Coke machine.
. . . whenever you go to the dog pound they ask, "Picking up or dropping off?"
. . . you've stolen turf from a golf course.
. . . you carry money in your bra (does a paycheck count?).
. . . you put antlers on top of your Christmas tree instead of an angel.
. . . you think "watching your weight" means standing naked in front of the mirror (ew!).
. . . your hair salon is also an auto parts store (brings a whole new meaning to lube & oil, eh?).
. . . you went fishing on your wedding day.
. . . you don't think reading should be a requirement for high school graduation.
. . . your favorite restaurant also sells propane.
. . . you use pop-top chains on your Christmas tree.
. . . your wedding buffet includes hush puppies (catered by long john's?)
. . . you bought all your Christmas presents at the liquor store.
. . . you have two big-screen TVs, but no running water.
. . . nothing under your Christmas tree is paid for (hmmm, grand larceny, credit cards, handmade gifts? your choice!)
. . . your car has never had a full tank of gas.
. . . your porch swing is a tire swing.
. . . you said your wedding vows while watching a football game out of the corner of your eye.
. . . you remember the entire NASCAR schedule but can't remember your wife's birthday.
. . . you think a "balanced diet" means starting and ending the day with a Big Mac.

well, that was 2006! woohoo!

now, how about a little crochet?

8/1: Recycled Plastic Tote Bag. i've been saving bags for years to do something similar, but the thought of cutting up all those bags just makes me shudder. i think i'll just use crappy yarn instead (it will still feel like plastic, and be easier to deal with!)
8/2-3: Bourbon Rose Jug/Bowl Cover Pattern. this is cute. very lacey. i could see it working well, particularly if you lined the back so bugs couldn't get through.
8/4: Filet Square Wire Earrings. These are cute, but it's still the same problem i've had before: working with wire. sets my teeth on edge, and would probably put my arthritis in an uproar.
8/5-6: Blossoming Fleur-de-Lis Necklace. this is kind of pretty, but the yarn they used is too fuzzy for my taste. something like this should be crisp, like linen or cotton.
8/7: Ivy Rose Square. this is pretty, and might actually work. it's a little holey, but not bad. however, i've noticed, this designer has a thing for bullion stitch, lol.
8/8: Zeitgeist. this is a dude square (i'm not linking right now, i had trouble the last time i did). very nice. would definitely work for a baby square. no holes!
8/9: Tan Button Purse. this is cute, but it's made with Lion Brand thick & quick chenille. i can't hack that stuff!
8/10: Perfect Foot Beach Sandies. these are cute. however, they seem to think these will get you into a restaurant. i thought the idea was things on the BOTTOMS of your feet?
8/11: Fashionable Filet Scarf. This comes perilously close to a non-pattern. anyone who crochets knows what filet is. they are right about filet work being calming to work though. and the fringe is fun! ch 5, fasten off the ends, and then use as fringe. i can live with that!
8/12-13: Cool Baby Blanket. this is cool. it's got a stitch that drops below, so youv'e got a ridged pattern all across. i like!
8/14: Crochet Dangle Scarf. this is a band crocheted to go around your neck, and the ties dangle. um, yeah. looks dorky to me.
8/15-16: Maritime Overlay. this is cool, but it has too many holes for baby stuff. and it's a dude pattern as well.
8/17-18: Square Filet Jug or Bowl Cover. another, pretty thing. and you can bead the center as well, if you wish! i like that whomever designed these did them with cobalt blue beads.
8/19-20: Crochet Chair Seat. looks like fun. can you imagine the color possiblilities? as long as you could find the appropriate twine!
8/21: Ribbed Baby Booties. I'm not a huge fan of crochet ribbing, although i did use it for the hat for Janice. they are cute, though.
8/22: Knot So Fast. a little holey, but since it's 13", i could probably adapt it for A4A or some such. dude square
8/23: Shades of Denim Potholder. this is nice. would make a quick & easy housewarming gift. and an easily available yarn (peaches & cream).
8/24: Jubilee Scarf. non pattern. total focus on the yarn. and it's hideous. oy.
8/25-27: Red Flower Poncho. A filet poncho with flowers worked in. interesting.
8/28: Summertime Tissue Cover. ultimate kitsch. oh stitchy! (i'm running away!)
8/29-30: Lizzy Poncho. looks pretty straightforward at first. then you notice the details, like the pretty edging, etc. for a poncho, it's not bad.
8/31: Flower Coaster. this is cute, but i think i'd use something more absorbent, like cotton.

ok, i must dash!

yes, i'm still bored

however, i've been kinda busy since the 1st. not to mention the fact that i've been praying for the 8th. the kids go back to school. oy! i think we are the only district in the whole country who gave their kids 15 days off!

my simple pleasure for the day:
the boys got into a knock down at hobby lobby, and neither one will tell the same story, so i don't know what happened, except sean was crying and his nose was red, and liam was holding his arm. while i was intensely upset with both of them, when we got home, they both apologized to each other. i accepted it as well. the fact that they are willing to apologize (and sincerely) for wrongs to each other, at this age, gives me hope for them being good young men when they get older.

life has been ok. there's been some adjustments to sean being home all the time. i knew this would be the test, because there's no school to distract. and i'm home this time. the kids are adapting to that as well (as am i!). i've never been home before. it's kinda wierd.

i joined the L&V Sock Marathon and i'm off like a herd of turtles. actually, i'm not doing bad. i've turned the heel on Miss Lime's sock that i'm test knitting, and am now working on the gusset. considering this had been frogged 3 times (curse you arthritic hands and dropped stitches!), i think i've done well! and the Lisa Souza has held up like a champ! i've also knit a hat with sock yarn double stranded with some terryspun (i think that's a coats & clark product, but not sure, i think it's discontinued), and i'm making a multi-directional scarf with cherry RH (hey it's for charity, and i'm trying to use up my stash!) and some red/white/blue sock yarn that i mooched (she was gonna throw it away!) (take that, Norma! red marker that!). i'm also working on a bunting for AC4C for BOL (january's project, i think it stands for Babies of Love).

want a few pics?

sure you do.
This is the multidirectional scarf. i don't know why, but a lot of my pictures have been coming out hideously fuzzy, sigh. i wonder if my zoom is messing up? i LOVE this pattern! it's soooooooo easy! once i clued into it, it was amazingly easy to memorize. i'll have to check back for the finishing wedge, but i doubt i'll ever forget it now that i've done one. they're kinda like salted peanuts. can't just do one. i'll be doing more.

This is the bunting. the reason why it's killing me? it's double stranded light & lofty by red heart, and it's on #10's. yes, my arthritis is giving me fits. i can only work on it for an hour or so at a time. good thing it's a fast knit.

and Deawn is back in town. and guess what she brought me?

she loves me! she brought some for others here (i can't remember, i was in such a haze over getting this myself!) this has the tricoteur sans frontieres (i'm going off memory, ok, i don't speak french) pin, a bumper sticker (which is NOT going on my car, not yet, a nyway!) a glow in the dark duckie key chain, and a lovely little chiffon bag with sparklies on the bottom. the flag looking thing is a magnetic clip for like the fridge. is that the danish flag, gang? i'm too tired to look it up.


What I'm reading:

Shadow Game by Christine Feehan (this was due today, so i'm putting it at the top of the queue)
Star Wars Episode II/Attack of the Clones by R.A. Salvatore (booktape in the van)
Promised Land by Cynthia Felice
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis (she also helped with Promised Land)
John Adams by David G. McCullough (booktape in the house)
Lord of the Silent by Elizabeth Peters (booktape at my house)
Knitgrrl: Learn to Knit by Shannon Okey
Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

whew, waht a list!

i will leave you with this lovely sight:
you've heard of a chez lounge? how about a chez liam?

knuck knuck knuck

if you came here looking for three stooges, you thought wrong (although i did give liam 3 stooges pj bottoms for christmas, lol!)

this is the kind of knuck we're talking about:
this is the beginning of the knucks. this is a pattern i found at knitty. i had thought about doing it on my own, but if there's a pattern out there for what i want, why tax my brain this hard for something that may or may not get worn? steph asked me to make her fingerless gloves because she'd lost the pair she was using at work. i understand completely, i used to work there, and my little mitts would freeze in the winter. yes, it looks huge on me. i have tiny hands. sean, who is 12, and just barely even thinking about starting puberty, has hands big enough for his fingers to be a full knuckle longer than mine. i wear a size 5 1/2 wedding ring, and the only reason why it's that big is because i've had a lot of arthritic swelling in the last few years, and want to be able to get it off when i need to. i have finished one:
this is the same color as the other one, and was even taken in the same light, i dont' know why it came out looking different. i'll start the other one tomorrow morning, in daylight. i started this one in the bedroom last night, and had to have the overhead light on. it was still tougher than beans to do, and i had to wait until this morning for daylight to continue with the fingers. once the fingers were done, the rest was easy.

the yarn: Kerry by Tahki. 50 wool/50 alpaca. it's very soft, but kinda splitty, and i noticed a few thick spots. considering i got this on clearance from WEBS, i can see why. it works for the job, though. it took less than one ball to do one knuck. and while it still looks hugely oversized, when i check the fit, the hand part actually is only a little big on me, so with a little reverse ease, this should fit steph just fine. i also used the knitting in the round on straight needles to do the ribbing in size 4's (the rest was knit in 6's) and the fingers as well. with so few stitches, it didn't make sense to try to do them in the round.

i'm starting a new thing here at casa dragon. sean said something that was so funny, i just gotta pass it on. this kid is amazing. he's scary bright, but emotionally he's no where near 12 years old. he comes up with the oddest things.

today, on our way home from our in-laws for the christmas celebration he looked up at the moon and said: "the moon looks like an alka seltzer, in a cosmic kind of way." good grief.

and since i'm a part of the simple pleasures ring, here's my simple pleasure of the day: not having to cook. while most of you enjoy this anyway, i cooked professionally for almost 20 years. not having to cook is special to me in a way that most don't see. we took green bean casserole over to mark's folks today, and i didn't do that either. bliss.

and now, for one of my resolutions that i posted on the L&V message board. i'm casting on a hat for Dulaan. the resolution is to craft something for charity EVERY day. granted, i finished a bootie this morning, but all i did was finish casting off and sew it up. hardly worth counting!

What i'm reading now:
Blood Angel by Justine Musk
John Adams by David G. McCullough (book tape in the house (i found it!))
Lord of the Silent by Elizabeth Peters (book tape at my house)
Pompeii by Robert Harris (book tape in the car)
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (as if you didn't know that already!)

i gotta take the van in again tomorrow. they couldn't get a read on the airbag light because the starter had dragged the battery all the way down, and erased any readings. well, guess what, the light popped on again! so i'll probably be getting tons of knitting done.

tootles!