Coffee and Yarn Goodies!

Can you believe all the goodies? Yarn, needles, a pattern, coffee, biscotti, soap, and m&m's (which, unfortunately, I just ate most of...yikes). Thanks to Sheryl!! What a great swap partner. The yarn is so lovely, too - I keep touching it!

Now, I haven't sent off my package yet - although I do have the yarn ready to go. I still need to decide on some coffee and some other treats and get it sent off. But it'll be a good package I hope!

I want to start the messenger bag from "Knitting for Peace," but I don't have the correct size needles. I'm afraid to buy anything this close to Christmas, either - especially since I've asked for some needles... On the bright side, I could cast on for the bag shown in the photo - all set with the right needles, and two lovely colors of yarn! I am feeling like a slug (due to m&m overload I think) , so I think I'd better be off. Nothing else fun to report.

Except that Luis Gonzalez signed with the LA Dodgers. I'm not overly excited about this, but I have respect for Gonzalez - I've been watching him here with the Diamondbacks for years. And I was just thinking how he must be happy about not wearing anymore purple - but then I remembered that the Diamondbacks have new colors!!! Hideous. That's my take on the new jerseys anyhow. Sheesh. Colors are fine, new logo ICK. Why that silly font? And can we not write out "diamondbacks?" What's with the "d-backs?" Can you imagine all the money they think they'll be getting when all the fans need to replace their purple attire?

Vegan Pal Goodies!

My goodies from the Vegan Pal Swap arrived Friday! Lots of knitting notions (stitch markers, row counters, chibi), a set of straights and dpns - both size 6, bamboo yarn in a lovely wine color, a needle roll - so cool! - and some vegan yummies. The Alternative Baking Company cookie is super tasty (I've been trying to control myself and not scarf it all in one sitting). The Jerquee is an odd texture, but would probably satisfy an odd craving for slim jims.. and I'm afraid to try the caramel cookie bar - many, many calories and fat! I'll be eating that a bite at a time! I'm still trying to think of a good project for that bamboo yarn...a one-skein project... hat? small bag? I wonder what the properties of bamboo yarn are...?

Farewell James Kim...

I was a bit obsessed with this all week. And yesterday to learn that they found his body - I feel awful for his wife and daughters. I didn't know them, but their story could have been any of ours. I couldn't stop checking the news for more information all week. Even now I feel a lump in my throat. All they did was take a wrong turn in bad weather...and to be missing for 9 days! I can't imagine it. I can't imagine losing my husband that way - what were those last moments like? Will she play them over and over in her mind forever?

Day of Hiking!

Here's where a few co-workers and I went today. That's Tucson, Arizona off in the distance. The hike to Maiden Pools through Ventana Canyon is not especially difficult, although there is a bit of a climb. That's the fun of hiking though, isn't it? I thought we'd spend less time on the hike, so I didn't bring my sunscreen. Oops. See that clear sky? Yeah, my right arm got a wee bit too much sun. Luckily it was a nice cool day - 60's, and not too windy. I'm really loving this photo right now. Nice not going to work, too. Well, for most of the day anyhow.

On the knitting front, I am still working on my cleo clutch, two irish hiking scarves (I think I missed the only two days of the year I might need to use a scarf...), and a dishcloth. I finished a cabled dishcloth a couple of weeks ago, but only got down to photographing it (and weaving in ends - why do I hate doing that??) recently. I'm not overly fond of it, but it was a fast knit (even for me). The cleo clutch is not yet photographed, and almost ready for felting. Very excited about felting. Must really get to that tomorrow.

Wow. My mood is much better than yesterday. Must be the hike. Should definitely do that more often. And get better shoes.

I have a meme addiction, I think!

Here's a meme I stole from the bookish knitster!

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought?
My hair looks awful.

2. Favorite planet?
Earth. Really, I do like it here – a little polluted, but at least it has an atmosphere.

3. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone?
Four people have called me? Ok, it was a wrong number.

4. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone?
Inspector Gadget theme. My husband hates them all.

5. Do you “label” yourself?
How can I not? That’s what humans do to survive! Woman, sister, wife, archaeologist, cat person, among others…

6. What does your watch look like?
have several – none that I wear often. One is a black and grey timex that I use when I run.

7. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Out for a walk with my husband.

8. What did your last text message you received on your cell say?
”That’s too bad. Hope you feel better.”

9. What's a word that you say a lot?
the (doesn't everyone?)

10. Last furry thing you touched?
one of my cats.

11. Favorite age you have been so far?
30. it’s a nice round number. But I’ve only been 30 for 24 hours.

12. Your worst enemy?
myself.

13. What is your current desktop picture?

a picture of anya that I posted on my blog in my first or second post

14. What was the last thing you said to someone?
Have a good thanksgiving. See you Monday.

15. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be?
Million bucks, but only if that’s money and not actual “bucks.” Otherwise I’d like to fly.

16. Do you like someone?
Sure, why not?

17. The last song you listened to?
Sara by Bob Dylan.

18. What time of day were you born?
5:30pm

19. What's your favorite number?
9

20. Where did you live in 1987?
King of Prussia, Pennsylvania

21. Are you jealous of anyone?
Always. Currently? My sister just bought a house, my brother bought one earlier this year. They both have new cars. But then, that’s just stuff. So it’s minor.

22. Is anyone jealous of you?

I don’t know.

23. Where were you when 9/11 happened?

At my parent’s house sleeping – it was 6am. But then I got a call and turned on the tv – I saw the second tower collapse. It’s burned in my memory.

24. Do you consider yourself kind?
Not usually. And I regret it often.

25. If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be?
Who says I don’t have one?

26. If you could be fluent in any other language, what would it be?
French.

27. Would you move for the person you loved?
I probably will have to. Isn’t that how it works in marriage?

28. What's your life motto?
Why do it now when I can do it later? But honestly I’d like to change that!

29. What's your favorite town/city?
Montreal

30. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it?
A couple months ago.

31. Can you change the oil on a car?
No. But I’d be happy to figure it out. I hear it isn’t that difficult – just a bit messy. But I’m not allowed to work on my car in the street, and I don’t have a garage or driveway. So that’ll have to wait.

32. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her?
How about my first crush? Because I think the sick thing that I thought was love back in high school was nothing like love… The last thing I heard about Todd was that he was a math teacher in Pennsylvania somewhere. The last thing I heard about my ex from high school was that he and his wife might be thinking about having kids soon.

33. How far back do you know about your ancestry?
Pretty far in the Hilton line (or hylton as it was originally in England); otherwise I know I’m German, Croatian, English, and Norwegian. And I like to think I’m all Viking – but my Norwegian ancestors were farmers. Oh, and I think there is some Polish, Swedish, Scottish, and French in there too. Huh. It’s disturbing to think that I am somehow related (distantly) to Paris Hilton. I wonder if she knows there’s been some minor inbreeding in our line back around the civil war period? That's probably not her line, just mine. The Hiltons came to the US in the 1600s, but they were Lords back in England - in fact, there's a run-down "castle" too.

34. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy?
My brother’s wedding a month ago! I wore a black, lacy, off-the-shoulder dress.

35. Have you been burned by love?
No. I’ve burned others. Sorry, just being honest. I've been burned by other things that were masquerading as love, though.

Ok. Next post must be more original.

Happy Birthday to me!

Or something like that. This may be the last time I admit my age - I'm 30 today. Last year when I turned 29 I freaked out a bit - thinking about all those things that I didn't do in my 20's. I got over that rather quickly (I didn't need to do most of those things anyhow). Although there are things I thought I'd do before I reached 30 - like have children, which I have not done. Like travel the world (or at least beyond the US borders). Oh well. Now I'm feeling as if I need to have some sort of "new decade's resolutions." Sort of like New Year's, only for my thirties:
In my thirties....
I will have more fun.
I will procrastinate less. (i might need to put this one off at least a few more days)
I will learn to cook.
I will try something new every week? not every day - i mean, really, do I have time for that?
I will knit more (and maybe faster).
I will take more photographs.
I will plan less and be more relaxed.

Ok. Enough of that silliness. Time to go celebrate my young age.
And for your cat-viewing pleasure:


Calico cat with one of three kittens (she has two calico and one black and white). She hangs out with "tuxedo cat" a cat who used to terrorize our (now-indoor) cat Chester.

I knew I didn't have one...

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Midland "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
Philadelphia
The South
The Inland North
The West
The Northeast
Boston
North Central
What American accent do you have? Take More Quizzes

Huh. Well, oddly enough, I've had several people ask me if I'm from the east coast. Not sure what they're picking up on. But still - I say home, about, and water as if I'm from Philadelphia - and I was for ten years growing up. People from Philly say "wuttur." No idea why. I think it also has to do with where your family is from and what sort of accents they have... my parents don't have accents either. And I seriously doubt where I live now has a distinct accent. My husband and I say things really differently (he's always making fun of the way "whore" and "horror" sound the same out of my mouth). Is syrup "seerup" or "sirup"? I find it all so interesting. But sometimes I wish I had an accent. But hey, I have a good voice for tv or radio. That's something, right?

Knit Mitt Kit Swap Questionnaire

Are you allergic to any fibers?
Not that I know of…

What are your favorite colors?
Reds, blues, greens, purples – deep colors rather than pastels

Are you a new mitt knitter? How long have you been knitting mittens?
Yes, I’m new! Fairly new to knitting still also.

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn?
Either way – for cable patterns and designs, though, solid, heathers, or tweed is better than self-striping.

What fibers do you prefer in mitten yarn?
Something soft and wool!

Where do you usually knit mittens?
At home – I don’t have anything to easily carry my projects yet, so it’s a bit of a hassle.

How do you usually carry/store small projects?
Um…in ziplock plastic bags or translucent plastic boxes. Not too fun, but it keeps the cats out. ;)

What are your favorite mitten patterns?
I don’t have any yet..

What are your favorite mitten knitting techniques?
Don’t have any of these yet either!

What new techniques would you like to try?
Practically any interesting technique would be new and fun for me.

What are your favorite needles for knitting mittens?
I like bamboo and wood needles – but for mittens, I’m not sure yet.

What are some of your favorite yarns?
I haven’t used too many yet, but I love the colors of the Manos del Uruguay and Noro Silk Garden. Noro Kureyon has great colors, but it feels a bit scratchy to me. I hear Misti alpaca is lovely and soft too.

What yarn do you totally covet?
Well who doesn’t love cashmere…it’s just sooooo expensive.

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object?
I’d like to knit the Saffron Cables afghan in the fall 2006 interweave knits and also Starsky from Knitty, and also perhaps a lovely cashmere cardigan of some sort..

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)?
I haven’t used circs or dpns yet. I like wood and bamboo when I’m knitting wool.

If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be?
Noro Kureyon – but a bit more chaotic and rather scratchy sorta person. Either that or a basic wool, like Cascade 220.

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack?
Gummy bears…gummy anything. Could go for some sour gummies, too. Yum.

What’s your favorite animal?
I love cats. And owls. And jaguars (I know, they’re cats too).

Would you prefer super warm mittens or something more like fingerless mitts?
It’s never that cold here in southern Arizona. I might move someday…but currently I don’t really need super-warm stuff. So, fingerless mitts would be more useful.

If you were a color what color would you be?
Sage green.

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature?
The lotus flower. I also like deep orangey-red gerbera daisies.

Do you have a wishlist?
I wish for many things…peace….happiness… oh you mean stuff? I do have an amazon list, but it doesn’t have too much knitting stuff on it. Or much of anything in fact.

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today?
I have spent way too much time looking for patterns to knit, yarn to buy, and needles I need, that I have hardly done any knitting!

insert interesting title here.

Here are my hot socks swap goodies from Iva. A pattern, Online self-striping wool yarn, peanuts, hot cocoa (haven't had any yet, saving for a nice cold evening...if that ever happens), a set of US3 dpns, and some interesting cookies. I should've posted all this earlier, but uploading photos was the last thing on my list! I'm looking at this photo thinking I really should break into those cookies soon. I haven't cast on yet for my (first-ever) pair of socks - I suspect the first try will be a disaster. I joined the knit mitt kit swap on swap-bot, and I know I have to post my questionnaire....but that's going to take brain power. No brain power right now.

In other swap news...I should've posted the cool buddha that I received from a little buddha swap maybe a month ago now!



There he is sitting in my kitchen window. Don't you just want to rub his belly? Well, it didn't help during the playoffs. I guess this buddha doesn't root for the Dodgers or Yankees. Bummer.

Things about me that nobody needs to know!

1. FIRST NAME?
Sarah

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
my middle name is after my great grandmother

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY?
Um. A couple weeks ago.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
Yeah, it’s ok.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT?
salami…when I eat meat

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
It might be annoying if both of us always wanted attention. But that’s only when we’re with other people. Otherwise, I’d like her.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL?
Yep. Have I written in it in two years? No.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yep.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
If I were pushed.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?
Peanut Butter Crunch

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
Not anymore. But I mostly wear shoes without laces.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Of course.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR?
vanilla

14. SHOE SIZE?
8.5 US

5. RED OR PINK?
red, absolutely. I love red.

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
I’m a procrastinator.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Melissa or Lucia. It’s my fault we lost touch in one case, who knows why in the other.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
Oh, nobody’s gonna read this!

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
jeans, black, sage green shoes

20. LAST THING YOU ATE?
naan bread

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
The hum of equipment at work.

22. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?
Terracotta.

23. FAVORITE SMELL?
Pine trees

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
my friend Autumn

25. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO?
I'm not sure...hair...vibe..

26. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON you stole THIS from?
I don’t know her!

27. FAVORITE DRINK?
coffee

28. FAVORITE SPORT?
baseball!!!

29. EYE COLOR?
hazel

30. HAT SIZE?
what are my options?

31. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
Yes

32. FAVORITE FOOD?
Pumpkin pie

33. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
happy endings – I hate scary movies (um, I hate horror movies actually)

35. SUMMER OR WINTER?
winter.

36. HUGS OR KISSES?
hugs

37. FAVORITE DESSERT?
pumpkin pie….or rice pudding…or apple crisp with ice cream

38. WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
nobody

39. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
everybody

40. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING?
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy; The Woman Warrior by…Maxine Kingston?; The Poisonwood Bible

41. WHAT’S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
it’s a basketball – not my choice

42. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV?
game 3 of the World Series. Cardinals won 5-0.

43. FAVORITE SOUNDS?
rain on my roof and thunder

44. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES?
beatles I guess

45. THE FURTHEST YOU’VE BEEN FROM HOME?
montreal (I know, not very far)

46. WHAT’S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT?
I’m a detective; or a snoop. Either way.

47. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
LA

48. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I stole it and now I’m not sure from where!

Secret Sister Swap and Vegan Thoughts

This is what I received from my secret sister yesterday. I'm so impressed! What a great collaged notebook - and there's my name (thursday) along the top of the photo (this is a top spiral notebook - it's sideways in the pic). The notebook itself is rather odd. The top 4/5 or so of the pages are blank, with the bottom 1/5 lined - and the lined portion can be torn off. What shall I use it for? I don't know yet, but something good!

My knitflix package does not seem to have arrived yet - I sent it out on the 3rd or 4th of October. Seems a bit odd. Nor have I received a package yet. Also odd, since my partner said she was sending it out on the 3rd or 4th also! Huh. I hope they aren't lost in the mail.

I just got my vegan pal's name, and I'm going to have to think hard to figure out what to make for her. I do have a month, though, so hopefully that will be enough time to make something fun. I just ate an egg - so I'm not vegan today. Actually, if I had to give up knitting with wool, eating cheese (not melted - i abhor stringy cheese - makes me gag, i know, it's odd), wearing leather, and my lip balm with beeswax?! Wow. I dunno. But this swap is definitely making me think more about what is in all sorts of products.

I never mentioned that what I do for a living can be a bit disturbing. I work in a radiocarbon lab - and I extract collagen (the organic portion) from bones for dating. And that means that I crush bones into 1mm fragments - yes, human bone too. I'm not sure if vegans would have a problem doing that - I mean, these are long dead individuals - I'm not eating them or using them for tools or clothing, so.... Actually, many people might find it all a little creepy.

Apparently my brain is green...

What Color is Your Brain?

GREEN:

At work or in school: I work best by myself. I like to focus on my ideas until my desire for understanding is satisfied. I am easily bored if the subject holds no interest to me. Sometimes, it is hard for me to set priorities because so many things are of interest.
With friends: I may seem reserved. Although my thoughts and feelings run deep, I am uneasy with frequent displays of emotion. I enjoy people who are interesting and of high integrity.
With family: I am probably seen as a loner because I like a lot of private time to think. Sometimes, I find family activities boring and have difficulty following family rules that don't make sense to me. I show love by spending time with my family and sharing ideas and interests.
Take this quiz!








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What kind of knitting needles am I?

You are bamboo.Warm, cozy, and thoughtful, you take your time and enjoy how things feel, smell, and taste. You love the craft and beauty of traditional things, and you value the comfort and experience of knitting as much as the results. But while you are reveling in your warm cozies, don't get stuck. Warm is wonderful, but so is the whole wide world!
Take this quiz!








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I joined the Vegan Pal swap (after reading about it on both swap-bot and Craftylilly's blog). I know, I know...I can hardly keep up with my swaps already! But this one seems interesting to me, so :P

1.) What is your craft, & how long have you been doing it?
Currently, knitting - for about 2 months (and not regularly, but that isn't my choice!). I'd love to sew, but I don't have a sewing machine or the space to put one. Crochet still stumps me - I keep wanting needles to put the stitches on!

2.) Are you a vegan, vegetarian, veg-curious, veg-friendly or other?
98% Vegetarian. And very curious. Some people say too curious.

3.) What is your favorite color(s)? Do you particularly dislike a color(s)?
I love green (sage, or perhaps 70's carpet green), also love red - especially true reds. Blue, brown, autumnal colors - yay! I don't like pastels - I keep trying and failing.

4.) Do you have any allergies (such as pets, foods or cigarette smoke)?
Cigarette smoke. Also a form of penicillan, but since it's illegal to pass on your drugs... Please don't send mold or ragweed, either.

5.) Do you have any companion animals? If so, names and types?
Hahaha - four cats have me as a slave. Ok. Only Chester thinks I'm his slave. They are Lotus, Tyger, Anya (little one), and Chester.

6.) Do you collect anything?
Um. Yarn. (don't tell my husband...he doesn't know yet) And boxes and bags - I'll buy these even if I don't need them - I love containers!

7.) Do you have a favorite vegan food, snack or dish? If no fav that's vegan (for those who aren't vegan), what's your favorite food? (Hopefully your pal can find a vegan version!)

Hmmm...my favorite foods are potato leek soup (my mom makes this with heavy cream, chicken broth, and cheddar cheese - it's not even vegetarian!) rice pudding, and pumpkin pie. Wow. I really want pie or pudding now. Hmm. None of those is vegan. Dark chocolate then? ;)

8.) What tools/supplies/accessories for your craft(s) are you wishing you had but don't? Also, what do you have TOO many of? (basically a wish and anti-wish list)

I don't have any stitch markers, not enough row counters, and only have a few sets of needles. I keep my needles stashed in drawers, bags, etc. because I have no rolls or anything to put them in! Not only that, but I also have no nice knitting totes to put my projects in! I know, I have bags, but most of these have other purposes (or aren't up to the job). I have plenty of rubber stamps and ink pads from attempting to make cards and altered books. That didn't go well.

9.) What type of handmade item would tickle your fancy? What don't you like? (Keep in mind this swap is open to all types of crafters.)

A sewn tote bag - so cool! Or handmade needle roll...um...ok, well, there could be something cool I'm not thinking of yet - what's your expertise? That's probably what I'd like!

10.) Is there anything else you would like your pal to know about you?

I don't know what to do with eyelash and funky acrylic yarns. I really am not confident enough to wear that stuff..but I've seen some great soy and bamboo yarn I'd love to try out!

Who else thinks this is disturbing?

Why are weddings so stressful?

Well, since family is involved, of course! So many different people with different ideas of what should be done at certain times... All last week I couldn't wait for my brother's wedding to be over! The stress caused multiple arguments/discussions about when my husband and I would do what - drive home Saturday night after the wedding or Sunday morning after sleeping in a hotel? Guess who won? But hey, he was driving, not me. I was exhausted after the wedding (11:30pm) - but at least I hadn't been drinking like many there! But now it *is* over. Yay! Isn't my new sister-in-law lovely? Now the family can begin asking *them* when there will be little ones!

I will not knit when exhausted. I will not...

My irish hiking scarf had a small accident last night. I didn't know it at the time. This morning, I started knitting and found some odd loose stitch on the needle...what is it? When did it get there? Must've been last night when I thought 'hey, i'll knit a couple more rows...this is an easy knit!' hahahaha. So, I should not knit when exhausted. Or right before leaving for work. Because next I tried to fix said problem...I ripped out one row, but that wasn't enough - now there's this super long weird stitch thing that can't just be dropped from the needle (tried that). Huh. I'm stumped and I keep thinking about needing to fix it (but I'm not at home now so I can't!).

In other news...I have finished several of my swaps (not all). Here's the lovely yarn I sent to my partner in Norway the other day:
I hope she likes it...I just went by what *i* like! I've finished three dishcloths since I started
knitting (here's two):

Confused purls...

Huh. This morning I was attempting to swatch for the cleo clutch and realized something was bizarre with my purls. When I turned around to knit the next row, the yarn was in back! Odd, thought I. So I got out my Vogue knitting book and checked out the directions. I was wrapping the yarn the wrong way! Sheesh. I've knit half a scarf (ok, way less than half), and three dish cloths with backward purling. The swatch looks less crazy now. Counter-clockwise, clockwise...whatever! Then again, when I checked the vogue book for how to do a knit stitch (could I be doing that wrong too???), it says to wrap clockwise, but shows wrapping counter-clockwise in the picture. Now I'm confused. Oh well. I think I'm going to have to increase the size of my needles to get gauge...

Behind on Swapping, knitting continues..

Many of my swaps are due within the next couple of days - I still need to find a small buddha to send to my partner (due Saturday), print out photos of my hands to become postcards (and the print place has been shut down, so I have to find a new place), buy two skeins of wool (also due Saturday), and make a bookmark (actually already mostly done, but I had this thought of knitting one..hahahaha). Oh, and my knitflix partner - I noticed that many people have already sent theirs out and received..ack! Well, at least we're both on the same page - a bit behind. I can't think what yarn is going to match this movie I bought her! Must get creative.

On the knitting front, my irish hiking scarf is going ok. It's my first attempt at cabling, and I'm really enjoying it. Um, mostly. Two days ago I thought it'd be a good idea to knit one last row before going to sleep. Not a good idea. I got to the first cable - slip three stiches, ok, knit three, ok, go back and knit the ones on the cable needle, ok...until the third one. It was super tight, and while pulling the yarn through the loop, an explosion occurred and stiches fell off needles everywhere! I spent the next half hour trying to put the stiches back on the needles, then had to pull out the stiches anyhow. Grrrrr. Turns out I actually got them all back on correctly! But I went to sleep an hour after I'd planned. The photo here is post-disaster (there was a secondary one involving the middle cable the next morning). Still looking ok, though!

It's a cat!

I just joined the Fall Cable KAL and Fiberflix! Very excited to start cabling...not that I've done it before, but hey, there's always a first. On fiberflix, we'll be watching some film noir in October. I loved the Maltese Falcon when I saw it last year. I'd never seen Humphrey Bogart in anything before...and he's made for film noir, isn't he? Or something like that.

I mentioned I have cats...or that cats have me, whatever. This here is Anya. Playing with the camera, of course. Always the curious one.. also known as "little one." Not that she's exactly small, but she's smaller than the others!

How ridiculous. I have plenty of time on my hands - I mean, I work and all, but what else do I do? I guess I feel a bit odd just writing for myself. Who really is going to find this and start reading about my exploits? And I'm exhausted right now due to the attempted carpet cleaning this past weekend (carpet still streaky! grrrrrr), and the little mouse visitor we've had since yesterday. We have four cats, and none of them has caught it yet. Must post pictures of the cats once I figure out how to do that (because who doesn't like photos of crazy cats???).

So I just started knitting about a month ago - I've made 2 1/2 dish cloths so far. And I just made a mistake in the current one and had to un-knit a row - that isn't easy yet. I had to really think with all of my groggy mind and try to figure out where those two extra stitches came from. Weird. I got rid of them, but I think only one was removed correctly! Soon, I'd love to move on to something more complicated - like a cabled scarf...