Do you have a name for your car?

I do. Have you seen this article recently? It's about how 4 in 10 people have named their vehicles. 23% percent of people think of their car as having gender, but only 7% think their cars are male. I think my car is male, but my husband's car is female. My 1990 Honda was "Howard" - I referred to him that way in my recent post about dreading odd numbered years... Huh. So only 7% of people think their cars are male? I guess I'm in the minority here! My mother named her car - but then, that was only after I informed her that the car I'd just inherited had told me his name. I know, I know - it's a wee bit odd. But he *did* have a personality! And it was a Howard personality. My current car does have a name, but I don't generally refer to my car that way like I did with Howard.

On the knitting front, I am working on two tote bags - I'll have to photograph the nearly-finished one tomorrow. Just needs a handle and some felting. I finished the body of the bag in only a couple days - and learned to pick up stitches, make horizontal stripes, and knit in the round! Next I'll be making my first i-cord handle. What's next? Socks? Ok - really, probably more bags (as if I need more bags). I really do love bags. They're great for hiding all my stuff in!

KMKS Package (ok, a week ago)!

Here's my package from Louise. I left it in the box for a week, since I hadn't taken a photo yet. Too much candy!! I've already eaten most of those jujyfruits. Overdosed. Definitely. So, she sent tons of candy, two skeins of Noro cotton kureyon, a skein of Malabrigo - wow this stuff is soft! A well-made bag with colorful yarn balls on the outside and mittens on the inside! I wish I were that talented with the sewing needles..


See the lovely malabrigo? Yum. It's almost too fun for mittens.

After seeing this site, I thought it'd be fun to take photos of my own mornings. Except that I don't like to get up early. I prefer to go to bed late. And photos of night with a less-than-ideal camera are not as fun to look at. Here's my take:
Yep. Needs a bit of work. Especially since I'm fairly certain it was 10 am. But Lotus is a good subject. She doesn't get too bothered by the camera - in fact, I think she enjoys the attention.

Irish Hiking Scarf (x2)

I just realized I was planning on adding my irish hiking scarf photos - so here they are! I'm not sure how I feel about the brown stripey one (it's Wool-ease in the "wood" colorway). It's a bit short - only about 50 inches long, and it wasn't quite as fun to knit as the lovely white one I'm wearing in the photo. The white one is Paton's 100% wool in the colorway "aran." Both were knit with size 8 US needles (bamboo for the white one, aluminum for the brown). My husband has claimed the white one, and I'm not sure currently what I'm doing with the brown one. I'd like to knit a green one for myself - and I already have some yarn. Of course, back when I bought it, little things like checking yardage and weight didn't occur to me! So, I suspect that I don't have enough - nor do I have any idea which pattern I want to try next. I just cast on for a felted bag in Nashua creative focus chunky. So soft! Just getting to the part where I need to figure out picking up stitches, and knitting in the round. I'd love to start a sweater project soon, too. Perhaps it'd be finished by next december when it gets chilly again!

Oh, must add the picture of tuxedo cat and black fuzzy. There's actually a calico kitten in the background, eating some food we put in our shed. I love black fuzzy, he's so adorable! I wish I knew how to help him and his sisters find good homes. It appears that our neighbors like the cats, too, and have been feeding them. They look quite healthy!

Snow in Tucson!

This is one of the warmest winters ever, and we have snow! Okay - it's already gone... but still! These pictures are from last night around 7 pm. I haven't seen snow stick in Tucson in more than ten years. My sister called when she saw it snowing - she said she didn't think she'd ever seen snow fall. Yes, she's played in snow, but see snow fall? Nope. Amazing. Not that I've seen it in a while either. Last time was probably driving home from Denver (I think) when it started snowing somewhere between Albuquerque and Gallup, NM. I freaked out a bit since I'd never driven in snow before (or since). I'd forgotten how magical it is to watch snow slowly falling.

Last week was rough, and I hope it doesn't continue like this all year. Ugh. I feel a sense of forboding, though. I often feel a bit queasy going into odd numbered years. This year, I hope for change. In fact, I feel it in the air. 2001 - My car was broken into in January, I had surgery in May, spent the summer in rehab, then there was september 11 - while I was the TA for a class called "death and dying" (which was so much work!), I went to the World Series (awesome to go, but the Yankees lost), then I was in a car accident a week after my birthday (my car, Howard, was totaled). Whew. So that year just exhausted me. 2003 - well, I got married that year. Not entirely a bad year - but definitely more change. 2005 was the year I quit grad school. That's all I can say about that year. And 2007? Who knows? Isn't it funny how one really stressful year makes me think all odd numbered years might be dangerous? Well, my husband is applying for jobs and none of them are in town. But I'm desperately hoping it will all work out for us this year. And I'm ready for the change, anyhow.

Nearly a month since posting!

I didn't realize it'd been so long since posting. I am not feeling well, though, so I really won't be posting much today. Just switched over to the new blogger and realized I'd never allowed the comments to be posted! Oops. Obviously there were things I hadn't figured out yet. I haven't knit anything much in the past month. I finished my irish hiking scarves (yay!), and I'll post photos of those soon... they're up, just not here yet. And maybe a couple new pictures of my feral cat visitors (black fuzzy guy is so cute!!). So, today I discovered that my headaches are actually migraines. Bummer that I currently have one. But I guess good that I figured it out so that I can go to the doctor and get help. The other irritation that I've had lately is vertigo. Knitting and vertigo don't mix. Luckily it's very mild (*knock on wood*), but it's seriously annoying. The doctor doesn't seem to think there's anything to be done about it, either. But I do think I need to stop typing now and go home to sleep. I need to get a couple swaps out - and I regret signing up for them (but who knew I was going to feel like this???).