Three Good Reasons to Love Life

This is how I spent my day. Sitting beside these three kitties, knitting.  (Notice my wonderful total tote in the background!!!)

I've been wanting to take a look back at 2007, and honestly - it wasn't my best year. I noticed looking back at blog posts, I was sick A LOT. I think some of this was because it was my first year of nursing, and my immune system was overloaded...  Also, among being sick, I had a job for the 1st 6 months that I hated!

So, I will look forward to 2008...  and let's start with some knitting goals.

1.  Double knitting.

2.  Socks on Two Circs.

3.  Magic Loop Knitting.

4.  Finish my Tangled Yoke!

5.  Buy more yarn.  (No, I'm not kidding!)

What are your knitting goals for the next year?

A Good Christmas

I hope everyone had a good Christmas!

Mine was filled with knitty goodness. I received a Total Tote, which I'd been wanting! In chocolate. I added seriously to my knitting book library, with Mosaic Knitting by Barbara Walker, Favorite Socks, and Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi.

I also got a pink I-pod, which my husband says classifies as knitty goodness because of all the podcasts I listen to!

This is the end of my first year of knitting, and knitting has been very good to me.  I can't imagine not knitting - what did I do before all this?  I am looking forward to year #2 of my knitting, and looking forward to seeing what others create in 2008.  The people I've met in my one year of knitting have been amazing, fun, and a blessing to meet.

Warmer house, warmer hearts?

We got a new side door!! Our back staircase was always FREEZING because the door that was up let in all the winter air. It showed an inch of daylight or more at the bottom, and as we found out when we took it down - it was hollow! We got a new door, and wow... does it make a difference. It made the staircase much warmer. It will be painted in the spring, but until then, I'll just enjoy keeping the cold air out.

(Yes, our side stairwell is painted a lime green. There is no point of me fixing it until electricians come....)

One of Molly's eyes always looks super-dilated and dark. Here is a picture... can anyone tell me if it's just the way her eye looks or if it's a problem? She seems to see just fine.

My husband has asked me to knit him a pair of socks. Any suggestions for patterns? I told him they would have to wait until spring because I have too many things on my needles, but I would make him some.

I keep jumping from subject to subject - I know.  My brain has been working that way all week.  I have been doing a lot of planning and plotting for projects (house and knitting) , but not really a lot of DOING.

If I don't blog before then, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Some sock progress

Well, getting my attention off Tangled Yoke was a good thing. I've worked on my Pomatomus sock, and I feel like I am close to returning my attention to my last sleeve for the cardi.

I taught a knitting class!! I taught a little about short-rows, and my knitting group (those who wanted to) printed out the Short Row hat pattern and brought it with them. We started that, and I went around and sort of helped out those who needed it. I think provisional cast-on was new to many of them, and that was fun to teach. Next month, they are supposed to bring back their finished hats to show off, or bring their hat for help if needed. I hope to take some pictures and post them!

A bit more of a sad note.. I have found out my friend has Lymphoma. I am wondering what I could make her - and I am considering the Hemlock Ring Blanket that could be used sort of as a security blanket when she is feeling her worst. I am just worried I won't be able to make that quickly..... Does anyone have suggestions of other patterns I might use?

December has never been a good month to me. It was a year ago this month that my baby, Amos, passed on. It hurts even now. Also, last year, I lost my cousin on Christmas Eve to a massive heart attack. I had opened her present and was calling  to thank her as she was being rushed to an ER.

I wasn't planning to end this blog post on such a depressing note.  I just have trouble being happy in December.  I thought that might change this year, but it hasn't...

Oh, wait, maybe I can end with a good note.  My beautiful cousin will be induced on Dec. 26th if baby doesn't come before then!  We can't wait to welcome baby girl in the world!

The Knitscene Preview!

I love Knitscene.  It's my second favorite knitting mag (first being Interweave Knits).  Have you seen the preview for Winter/Spring?  (Or am I late to the party?!)  Anyway.... I love the Norah Gaughan bag.  And if she doesn't quit designing bags, I'll never finishing knitting them all.  She never comes up with a design that I don't love.  Also, I love the Four Corners Headbands - cute!   I am also in love with the Apothecary Raglan and Pebble Hoodie.

What a great knitting world we live in - we definitely are not desperate for beautiful and genius patterns!

A little Tangled Yoke Frustration

To be quite honest, I'm tired of it.  I finished a sleeve, or so I thought, but realized it's too short.  I need to add about an inch.  Which isn't a big problem, but I just can't bring myself to pick it up and do it!  If I could just finish the darn sleeves already, I could move on to the yoke, and the cable, and the challenge.  I've found that I'm the type of knitter who just doesn't like it if there isn't some little challenge involved.

Maybe I can pick my socks back up for a day or two, and then I can face Tangled Yoke again.

I also bought yarn for some Endpaper Mitts for myself, and maybe I'll start those.  A very pretty red and black yarn.

Also - a little announcement to my Blogger friends - I am still reading your blogs.  I just can't figure out how to leave you a message now so that you know it's me -- Blogger changed the way you leave comments?  Does anyone know?

The Almost Moon

I haven't been knitting.  I started reading "The Almost Moon" by Alice Sebold.  It was slightly morbid, in a fascinating kind of way.  Once I got started, I couldn't quit.  She also wrote The Lovely Bones, which is excellent - and I highly recommend.

I don't think everyone would like The Almost Moon.  I think you need a bit of a dark side.  It is a dark, haunting glimpse into mental illness (and pure madness, I think).  It begins with "When all is said and done, killing my mother came easily", and that is how you are introduced to Helen, our main character.  I enjoyed the way Helen loves her mother so deeply and hates her so passionately at the same time.

Other than reading, not much has been happening.  I passed my Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS).

Oh, and in case I don't get around to blogging tomorrow....  Friday is my friend Beth's birthday.  Happy birthday!  Beth is also a nurse, a wonderful friend, and a shoulder I can always turn to.  She understands my craziness, and embraces it.  May we live long long lives of friendship and joy.

Happy December

I haven't got much of anything to post as far as knitting goes. I've been sick this week. (I felt too bad to knit or to watch Pushing Daisies if that tells you anything.)

So, some cute kitty pictures. Molly always looks grumpy - here she looks at least slightly intrigued. That's the most emotion I've seen from her in a while! The second kitty is Loverbunny. It's a miracle to get his picture. He is scared of his own shadow. I wanted to take pictures of Sam too, but he thought otherwise.



And, last but not least... my new shower pictures. It was freaking expensive, but at least I have a shower. However, I have to buy a new riser because the person installing it didn't measure correctly and cut a riser too short. Due to it's instability until the new riser comes, I can't even use it. (Yes, this caused me to almost lose my head yesterday. I was very upset.) Ignore the dirtiness look from around the new faucet - it's from the old faucet and it scrubs out. I just need to buy a toothbrush to get in the little nooks around it. I bought this conversion kit for the claw foot tub from Clawfoot Supply. They are very fast with shipping, and while expensive, you get what you pay for -- it's good quality. (And please ignore the ugly wallpaper. I haven't redone that bathroom for good reason! There isn't any electricity that goes to it, and it just recently got in working order. It used to flood the floor below it, but it doesn't anymore!! And for light, I use a battery powered light.)