She's Crafty....She's just my type.

PC's got a reason to sing that song! I am exercising my super-crafty muscles this weekend! A preface: on my mom's side, I have like 100s of cousins, all of whom have kids. The little ones (under 7) get a handmade gift from me at Christmas.

I usually don't send birthday gifts for them or anything like that (unless it's a Communion or something), so this is my one shot per year to make something special for each kid. Four of these kids live in the middle of Maine (5-6 hour drive) and within a mile of each other, so all gifts must be the "same but different" you know what I mean?

Well, there are 8 little ones on my list this year. I saw these crayon rolls on Etsy a while back and thought: cute, but $10? I'm glad someone's getting that much for them, but I wasn't paying it! I searched and came upon a tutorial for DIY. A trip to JoAnns and voila! Crayon rolls!

Each roll holds 12 crayons and is secured with a length of elastic. Each one cost me $1.45 to make. I made all 8 in 2 hours. Using felt is good too, because the material will be very durable and soft... it also is very forgiving for little fingers putting crayons into and out of the pockets. Each crayon roll accompanies a jumbo-super-crazy coloring book, picked especially for each kid. These little gifts will go pre-Christmas to the kids in Maine for their annual ride from Maine to Massachusetts.

yarn is the new homework

One gnome (the PC gnome) is thisclose to done. I need to run to JoAnn's tonight for polyfill beads (so he'll sit) and some felt for Christmas gifts. Then: assembly begins!

Before I get to JoAnn's, I have to do something for school. My 2nd grad school class is called Leading Teams. I don't like it. At all. The project for the class is not the usual "pretend you are a company who makes widgets" deal. No, instead, we have to seek out a corporate project team that doesn't work for any of our companies and observe them in their team, interview them, make an assessment and evaluate the teaminess. Sounds easy huh? Okay, now try to find a company who's going to let 6 complete strangers come in to their place of business to watch them. I think what I like least is that this instructor is demanding that we get together several times a week in "live meetings" to discuss the project. Our group is spread across the Boston area and we all work full time. How the hell are we supposed to pull that off? Instead, we email. Overall, I'd give the class and the instructor an F. I don't feel like what I am doing in class is in line with the readings or the assignments. I am still assessing what I have learned... but I need to keep my GPA up, so I keep forging ahead.

So, what do I have to do for class tonight?

Woe is me... I'm interviewing a project team at Classic Elite Yarns.

What's a knitter to do??

Crafty Holidays

This article on CNN.com says a lot about crafting for the holidays.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/wayoflife/11/17/handmade.gifts/index.html

In a holiday season overshadowed by a national financial crisis and a sluggish economy, handmade gift-making takes on a monetary sparkle. "People have more time than they have money right now," said Van Voorhis. "It's a money saver, it's cheaper and it's a great option for the person who has everything."
Gift givers who are new to crafting will find an entire culture -- both in the real world and online -- centered on its creative energy and innovation. The heart of the handmade crafter culture beats at brick-and-mortar craft fairs across the nation and online at Etsy.com. The Web site has become a sort of eBay for crafters and a market for more than 100,000 sellers worldwide since its birth in 2005.

"There's definitely been a lot of momentum," said Van Voorhis. "Crafting is getting popular with people like young mothers who're looking for home-based activities and among people in their mid-20s to early 30s." Many crafters join knitting clubs and other neighborhood groups.

After years and years of giving homemade gifts, will my knitters' guilt (that little voice that says a handknit scarf is not enough-- send a gift card too!) go away now that crafting your holiday items is socially acceptable?

I hope so. I just bought some yummy natural Eco-Wool to make my brother a hemlock ring blanket this Christmas!

Happy Dancin'

No, not because of my new-found allergy. I am happy dancing b/c I lost 3.8lbs this week on WW. Now, I am a big girl, but 3.8lbs is 3.8lbs and I am VERY proud of me!

To celebrate, I am staying on-points. ;)

Knitting.

I knit the largest hat on the planet this weekend. I don't know what happened. It'll fit someone with dreds, but not on purpose. It went in the charity box. PC asked if I was paying attention. ha ha ha ha... this is because he has been the recipient of some too-small hats in the past.

I cast on for some tomten last night. Specifically the ones from Alan Dart. PC's sister tracked down the magazine in the UK and had it shipped to me. Tomten are a Scandanavian folklore about gnomes that live in the woods. Near the holidays, they come wearing pointy hats and winter gear (mittens, boots) and long beards (to keep them warm) and knock on doors. When someone in the house answers, they ask "do any good children live here?" If the answer is yes, then they come in and give the children sweets. In Norway, the sweets are left in their mittens. All of this as told by my grandfather when I was little. Santa sounds an awful lot like a tomten.

Photos tomorrow when I get one "sorta" stuffed and made up. Imagine this: I have to go buy fun fur for the beards.

And might I add again?

-3.8lbs: WoooHoo!

Saving at Christmas without being a Scrooge

Potential financial worries abound. We are lucky enough, we don't own our house. We don't have a ton of debt, but I still have student loans ($38,000) and the car ($18,000) to pay off... we both keep our credit cards at reasonable, payable limits (i.e. paid off within in a month or two normally). And we have officially established our "for each other" spending limit on Christmas. Spending less is accepted.

But, with all the 'other' people in the world that we like to exchange gifts with... we are being a little skimpy, I won't lie. A big thing is the kids. We would love to buy all the kids in our lives great big presents and stuff, but I have come to a conclusion: I won't compete with Santa Claus. I remind myself: "these are not my children" and am happy to say... they always seem happy with whatever we get them.

Friends. Well, I took care of that this summer. It's done, well... part 1 of each gift is done. Part 2 involves PC stopping by a gourmet grocer. I'm hosting a cookie swap at my house and we'll also be doing the holiday party rotation, of course.

Family. We don't have a lot of relatives that we exchange gifts with: Parents, siblings and occasionally an aunt and uncle. PC's parents are pretty much all set. We know what we want to get and I am doing all kinds of couponing to get it down to a more reasonable price. My parents.... well, we are still stuck on that one. And, my brothers and sis-in-law... don't know. One brother will be getting a Hemlock Ring blanket and some really cool hot cocoa with some peppermint schnapps and mugs. The other one... I am still thinking about it. They are expecting a baby in Jan/Feb (I know, I need to knit for the little one!) and we don't know--- buy them something baby related?? This year, I am gifting to my aunts and uncles b/c well, I want to. I am knitting from stash, so therefore (besides my time) it's free. We like free.

Coworkers. I bought 4 bracelets ($10 a piece) from my friend Mariuca. She makes pretty, affordable jewelry. She's a practical girl and a fellow frugal-one... and she knows what sells and for what price. She used to host jewelry parties, but is holding off until after Christmas. If you want something though, I am sure she can accommodate (Mari?) and it'll help a new mom add some presents to the Christmas tree this year. And honestly? $40 for work related gifts isn't bad. One coworker is getting hand knit mittens. She will love them, she will tell me I should not have and then she will wear them through. She's been a great mentor to me this year and a good friend.

I have to stop next week and grab some Christmas cards and get ready to send them out... as my gift list dwindles, my card list increases!

Being taken alive! (two posts in one day!)

Yup, one singluar fruit has taken me down. A preface: I love kiwi fruit. LOVE them. And, two kiwis on WW is like 1.5 points. Easy to eat ( I cut them in half and scoop out the flesh with a spoon) and quite possibly, the most delicious fruit out there. And, now... mine no more!

Monday started off normally. I got to work, did some work and then said "oh, it's 10am! Time for Kiwis!!" I ate a kiwi. Felt a little funny. Thought maybe I got tickly kiwi hair in my mouth. A big swig of water. Eat second kiwi. Start to notice that lips are tingly. Throat is itchy. Itchy as in oh-my-god-stick-a-knitting-needle-down-my-ears-to-get-that-itch itchy. Then, my tongue swells.

Oh.shit.

I race to the first aid kit in the lab, take 3 antihistamines, rinse my mouth out several times. Brush my teeth and gargle with some warm water and salt... anything to make it stop.

Thirty minutes later, I'm okay. Scared, but okay.

Yesterday. Walk into lab, put on latex gloves (like every other day of my life) and get to work. Come out of lab, don't wash hands (no soap at lab sinks again!) and take off safety goggles. I have my contacts in. Probably scratch my eyes (it's still early) and poof! World is suddenly foggy and my eyes on are FIRE! Race back in lab, rinse eyes with water. Try to stay calm. Walk back to desk and pull out emergency contact lens kit from drawer. Place contacts in holder, bring saline to lab for eye rinse. This is not helping. Walk around work until 2pm with safety glasses (prescription) from 3 years ago- can't see anything. Call primary care doc, answering service says "no patients, no interruptions, no calls" today. Huh. Well, only one more place to go. The ER. (yes, i drove myself, it was only 7 exits on 128)

ER doc is great! She says most likely related to kiwi reaction on monday. Does say that something is in my eye (she washes) and it has scratched the inside of my eyelids. Ouch! Antibiotic ointment (that makes my vision blurry), steroids, and an epi-pen later, I am in business.

PC met me at the ER to drive me home (poor thing had to take a cab!) and we got home about the normal "getting home time" for us. Dinner and a nap were required before the main event of the night: a concert!














PC's all time fave band, Reverend Horton Heat, (he has their album cover tatooed on him-- talk about dedication) was in town (one show only!) and we had to go. Granted, I sat at a table in the Roxie and watched from afar (and they played so well, that I really wanted to boogie, but lack of vision was making me wary), but we were there. An awesome 1 hour 45 minute set preceeded by two bands (one I liked, one PC liked) that were pretty good... 5 hours of sleep later... I'm here at work. Blurry eyed and waiting for CVS to fill my epi-pen.

















(photo credit: unknown)
Something I learned today? Kiwi fruit is used in almost all meat tenderizer. Great.

Musings (and no photos....)

Spidey's hat and mitten set are complete and ready for delivery. I really like the way the top of the hat came out for some reason. I modified this a lot,b/c of the gauge change, I really didn't have a choice.

At last night's guild meeting (MetroWest knitting guild--- we have a Rav page!), I cast on for a simple man's hat. I am hoping that I can whip up a few of these (like 5?) before the holidays: 3 for uncles to go with the scarves/cowls for the aunts and 2 for my dad's birthday. My dad works outside a lot and a little known fact about chemo/radiation therapy is that you can feel cold for the rest of your life. Dad's having a hard time staying warm. I want to try double knit, but don't know how. Anyone want to show me?

And finally: Boston knitters-- anyone around the Saturday after Thanksgiving? Interested in a little post-turkey knitting? We have one cat and two couches and I promise to clean the bathroom. Tea, coffee and wine provided.... and some snacks if I can rustle them up. Let me know, b/c if no one can come, it'lll just be me and the cat.

Have you ever eaten an Acorn?

It's getting colder here in New England. So cold that Pumpkin is asking to "camp" under her self-warming mat. She is all snuggled up, creating heat and purring....

An acorn squash, that is. We have and we love them. Normally, we fill them with cranberries and couscous and maple syrup and bake them... but since this is the week of recommitment to WW, I thought we'd try something healthier. I modified (quite a bit) a recipe I found online and one that PC's dad (who's becoming quite the cook in his retirement!) had made and recommended.

WW points are given. oh, and I made my lasagna in two pans b/c I don't have the right size pan.

Ingredients:

2 large acorn squash, halved and de-seeded
I can't believe it's not butter spread-ICBINB ( a WW fave)
salt (coarse)
pepper
1 tsp sage
1 tsp nutmeg
no-bake lasagna noodles - 1 box (8 sheets)
32 ounces fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fat-free cheese topping (parmesan blend)
2 eggs

Instructions:
1. Prep acorn squash: place cut side down on non-stick foil on a rimmed cookie sheet (these things leak!)- cook for 1 hour at 400deg F. Allow to cool and scoop out the 'meat' and put in a mixer. Add 2 tbsp ICBINB and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper (a pinch of each)-- blend. Add sage. Mix quickly.
2. Prep ricotta: add ricotta, parm blend cheese and salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Make lasagana(s): layer no bake noodles, then squash mix, then no bake noodles, then ricotta, no-bake noodles, squash mix, no bake noodles, ricotta.
4. Cover with non-stick foil and bake at 400deg F for 45 minutes. Remove foil and cook for 15 minutes to brown.

TOTAL WW Points: 40 for the ENTIRE dish... ours made 10 really big servings: 4 points each.

Yummmmmmm

Obligatory knitting content:

I cast on for this boys' hat last night at Island Yarn's Knit Night... it should be done tonight. I modified PumpkinMama's spiderman hat pattern b/c I had worsted weight yarn and she had used something lighter. I cast on 96 stitches and did 3 repeats of the pattern. I am also doing less of the 'webbing' at the top as this hat would be too tall... and we want a 'beanie that covers the ears' thing...

Sick Knitting

In the course of being out of work 2 days (came home Thursday a.m.) and realizing in between naps, that the quality of daytime tv had not improved since my last sick day... I headed to the stash. Yes, I had projects everywhere around the house, but I needed.... something. Something new. Something repetitive. Something fun.

The Sand River Scarf.

Pattern: Sand River Scarf
Yarn: 250yds hand dyed worsted (superwash) (dyed by me!)
Needles: US 7 straights (bamboo)
Notes: I love this pattern. I test knit this for Monica 2 years ago. It was such a fast knit and I really loved the pattern. So, I cast on Friday night around 6pm and blocked last night (Sunday) at 10 p.m.


this is better representation of the color

In spite of the virus that took me down (several fevers broke, lost my voice, still have icky feeling in ears and head, body aches--- no sniffles, though. We think it was the flu and since I don't get a flu shot--- allergy to eggs via injection- most vaccines give me a horrible allergic response), I needed to leave the house by Sunday. PC and I had been collecting food donations and sorting through his old work clothes to make a donation to Lazarus House. It's a food bank/shelter run by the Church that has a fast shelter-to-home transition and a 99% success rate in it's work skills program. It is also drug and alcohol free. A few weeks ago, their food donations dried up and they were dipping into the Thanksgiving reserves. Now, if they are using Thanksgiving food in early October--- what's going to happen in 3 weeks when they need to serve so many families? Mini and PC to the miniature rescue! We dropped off two large boxes of food, including a turkey and stuffing (thank God for BJs), paper towels and t.p., and two very warm work jackets. Look around this time of year. Are you blessed? Can you pay your bills? Is there a little extra each month? Buy one extra bag of groceries at your weekly grocery shopping (non-perishables, of course) and donate to your local food bank.

When the mom is sick... the cat will play.....

How does she work this thing?


















Can you see me?

*achoo

Pumpkin here. Mom's not here because she's on the couch... Dad says she doesn't feel good because she has a frog in her throat. I don't see why she gets to keep her frog, but she makes me give up perfectly good mice.

Anyway. She's on the couch with her frog and this means that she can't yell. Nope. Not one peep.

No "down Pumpkin!"
No "off the table Pumpkin!"
No "stop biting me Pumpkin!"
















Nope. She has to sit there and wave her arms. I close my eyes.


















But, she's had more string out. The kind of string she yells about. She is selfish. She is the only one who gets to play with her string. And the sticks! They are so chewy and wonderful.... really feel great on the gums... but, she doesn't like that either.

But... today she can't yell.....

Ouch! But, she can swat ears!!!
















Maybe I'll wait to see about those sticks later. I have to go wake her up so she can feed me. Come by in a few days. She'll feel better then.

Not winning any friends

Edited to add: this makes me even sadder. (source: Boston Globe)

Calif. voters approve gay-marriage ban

November 5, 2008

LOS ANGELES—California voters have approved a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage, overturning the state Supreme Court decision that gave gay couples the right to wed just months ago.

The passage of Proposition 8 represents a crushing political defeat for gay rights activists, who had hoped public opinion on the contentious issue had shifted enough to help them defeat the measure.

It also represents a personal loss for the thousands of couples from California and others states who got married in the brief window when they could. Legal experts have said it will have to be resolved in court whether their unions still are valid.

I'm sad today. Yup, it has everything to do with the election. 7 years ago I would have said I am a Democrat, but I have changed and so has my political stance. I am fiscally conservative and lean more liberally socially (gay marriage: fine with me, removal of troops from Irag: fine). PC and I are going to be that "middle ground" that doesn't make enough to really do more than live (no fancy vacations and luxury items for us), but under Obama's plan, makes too much to benefit. I often wonder if American voters thought about the outcome of voting for a candidate high on social programs when we are midst a recession. Funding for social programs will come from one place and one place only: your wallet. BUT, I am a positive person and I am ready to see this extremely charismatic president-elect try his hand at office. I am hoping he exceeds his supporters expectations and I hope that he changes my mind. Several African-American politicians stated this morning that Obama would be given a 'honeymoon' to acquaint himself with the weight of his office. Sorry, son... no honeymoon. Your campaign was all about change--- the clock starts January 20 and you had better be ready. The world is watching.

But, a few things passed in my home state of MA that disturbed me.

1. Dog Racing. Okay, this is not a popular sport among pet-owners. I own a pet (Pumpkin) and have owned several dogs throughout my life ( i remember the names of 12). But, as said above, it's recession time and you just put 1000 people out of work. I think for every greyhound you adopt from now until 2010, you should have to promise to support a track employee for a month. Guess PC and I will be driving to NH to bet on the puppies.

2. Marijuana decriminalization. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. How on earth can we teach children that illegal drugs are dangerous and (HELLO!) Illegal (??!!!) if the fine for possessing an illegal drug is the same as not using a crosswalk? My mom told me that she was voting for decriminalization b/c of all the young men whose lives were ruined b/c they were caught with pot and had to go to court. My response: what about all the people who said no and didn't buy drugs from drug dealers?? Whatever happened to obeying the LAW?? Certain drugs are illegal for non-medicinal purposes ( i have read the marijuana research on pain--- it works, but so does Oxycontin and we aren't letting people run around with it without prescription). Marijuana is a drug on this list. Marijuana is illegal. It's not failing to use a crosswalk.

Oh.... and parents? Your new teenager, freshly out in the world, driving in cars with teens? Dating and being away from your for the first time? Heading off to college that you got the 3rd mortgage on the house to pay for so they won't have student loans? Massachusetts just told them that getting high on a little pot is 'not so bad.' Really glad you did that whole 'just say no' thing. How many kids did I know in college who lost it all b/c of drugs? Too many.

Sarcasm over. I have never been hesitant to speak my mind on certain subjects. I don't talk politics at work. I think about things very carefully. And since we live in the great USA, I can think what i want, you can think what you want. Also, I respect each and every opinion that is made in this country. I don't agree with them, but it's like religion: I respect your right to worship as you wish. So, keep reading here... I'll always be honest with you. Sometimes you'll like and sometimes you won't. Sometimes i don't like it either.

Onto knitting:

It's farther along now (in fact, the first mitten is done, minus thumb).

Pattern: Chevallier mitten
Yarn: Rowan Cork
Needles: US5 dpns












Note, has anyone made these? They might be the biggest mittens I have ever made! They are HUGE.... and I have gauge, so I know I am making the right size. Adding these and a matching scarf (US11, k2, p2 easy-peasy scarf) to the Christmas bucket.

Hats, Hats, Hats!

I am the Queen of Small things this week. Anything little is completely do-able. Anything large like a sweater? Off my radar. I really need to scratch this small-things itch b/c it's accomplishing two things:
1. I am feeling accomplished b/c I am finishing things
2. I am starting to burn through stash....

PC made a comment while we were on a walk that perhaps I should knit down my stash until we move (June) in order to eliminate the amount of yarn we need to move. Normally, I would have laughed... but I remembered the sheer quantity of yarn I have. I am knitting down my stash. I have TONS of yarn for great projects.

So, look for socks, scarves, mittens (oh, the mitten bug is keeping me tied down!) and hats over the next few months.....












Hat/Mittens for Noodle:

Mittens
Yarn: Encore, machine washable
Pattern: my own + embroidered flowers

Hat
Yarn: Encore, machine washable
Pattern: Totoro hat (helloyarn.com) + embroidery












Hat/Mittens for MC
Mittens
Yarn: Encore, machine washable
Pattern: piggy mittens (SpillyJane)

Hat
Yarn: Encore
Pattern: Totoro hat with cat ear modifications and embroidery.

Happy Halloween

Five Little Pumpkin Sitting On A Gate

Five little pumpkins sitting on a gate,
The first one said,"Oh my, it's getting late."
The second one said,"But we don't care."
The third one said,"I see witches in the air."
The fourth one said,"Let's run, and run, and run."
The fifth one said,"Get ready for some fun."
Then whoosh went the wind,and out went the lights,
And five little pumpkins rolled out of sight!


PC and I will not be handing out chocolate bars and snack packs this year. Our current location is chock full of kids, but letting kids know where we are and how to get to the front door is not easy.... we can't turn our porch light on and off.... it's motion sensored and hard wired to the house.

We will be watching the Ghost Hunters live marathon (7 hours) and eating yummy beef stew for dinner. Halloween is one of those nights that brings back so many memories from childhood: costumes, candy, canvassing the whole town for treats. Halloween dinner was a favorite of mine; it was always American Chop Suey. My mom would make it on her lunch break and it would be heated up on the stove and one kid would eat while the other was being costumed and then switch.... it is still a favorite memory.

I have some photos for posting tomorrow. For those who asked, it was a death in PC's family and we thank you for the prayers.

I have to dry my hair....

And Pumpkin thinks it's play time...
So this will be kinda quick.

1. Home from the land o' Mickey--- nice place to visit...too.damn.hot. Rides were fun. Took no photos. Fun family time. Good food. More rides. One upset tummy. Didn't see Mickey once. Great resort. More rides.

PC went upside down. Twice. On a roller coaster. Have I mentioned that this is something that he said he'd never do??

2. knitting. Well, I am a schizophrenic knitter lately- making no sense and bouncing from one thing to another. I have nailed down some small(ish) projects though... I think this might be the fall of small(ish) projects.

Yes, another cowl. This was completed pre-Disney but it needed buttons and trip in the sink to block it. And yes, Mari... this one is yours. Buttons are from Island Yarn, yarn (Malabrigo) is from stash.

Pattern: Piggy Mittens (pdf)
Yarn: Encore, ~50 yds?
Needles: US 5 dpns (bamboo)
For: cousin's daughter... she's 2. These will make her giggle so hard she'll snort.
2nd pair of these are underway for a friend's daughter, also two.

Pattern: my own
Yarn: Encore
Needles: US 3 dpns
For: my niece, Noodle. She's 4 months and needs her first woolie mittens (not that they are wool-- they are machine wash!)

Pattern:

Cast on 20 stitches, join without twisting. K1, P1 for 8 rows.
Knit one row.
Increase row: *K f/b, K1, K f/b, K1* repeat from * to * until 30 stitches.
Knit for 2 inches.
Decrease rows:
Row 1: *slip 2 as if to knit, k2tog tbl, k11, k2tog** repeat from * to **
Row 2: knit
Row 3: *slip 2 as if to knit, k2tog tbl, k9, k2tog** repeat from * to **

Row 4: knit
Row 5: *slip 2 as if to knit, k2tog tbl, k7, k2tog** repeat from * to **

Row 6: knit
Row 7: *slip 2 as if to knit, k2tog tbl, k5, k2tog** repeat from * to **
Row 8: knit
Row 9: *slip 2 as if to knit, k2tog tbl, k3, k2tog** repeat from * to **
Row 10: knit
Row 11: *slip 2 as if to knit, k2tog tbl, k1, k2tog** repeat from * to **
Row 12: K2tog all around
Break yarn and thread onto darning needle. Pull end through remaining stitches.

Make 2nd mitten.

Pattern: Spidey Mittens
Yarn: Encore (blue), Red Heart (red) and Cotton Ease (Black) all from stash.
For: piggy mittens' big brother.

3. A death in the family and starting grad class #2 this week will definitely interfere with irregular blogging... ha ha ha. Seriously, though... look for me later in the week.

Almost home.....

We are probably halfway up the East Coast by now... heading home today. I hope you have enjoyed the charitable knitting info I have been giving you. In case you have no time to knit this year, but need to clean out your stash? Here's a charity for you:

Health Care for the Homeless Medical Respite Unit
Homeless women and men at a residential medical respite unit find that crocheting and knitting help with their emotional stress, and create opportunities for socialization and companionship. It also affords those who are mothers to be able to give something handmade to their children. There is always need for yarn (wool, non-wool, partial or full skeins), crochet hooks (esp. sizes 5 - 6), knitting needles, basic knitting or crocheting books. Other arts and crafts items are also welcome Please call first.

Volunteer Coordinator
Boston Health Care for the Homeless
729 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02118
(617) 414-7779

Purl for a Purpose

The Pine Street Inn is hosting a knit-a-thon to make blankets for the homeless. Now, I know that Island Yarn is knitting away (customers and employees!) on squares and I have seen a few at my guild meeting... so, what's a 9X9 inch square? 30 minutes? An hour? You can do it!!! Grab your needles and knit!
(my corporate competitor is hosting this event, but this makes me more determined to get MY company involved next year. Does YOUR company match your charitable donations?? MINE does--- ask your HR rep about your company's policy on charitable giving.)

There is an event coming up:

Date:		Sunday, November 9, 2008
Time:		11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where:		Hosted by GE Healthcare, 116 Huntington Avenue, Boston (Across from the Prudential Center and accessible by the Prudential and Copley stops on the Green line and Back Bay station on the Orange line.)
Why:		To make a difference in the lives of formerly homeless men and women

Info from the webpage:

How to Get Started

STEP 1:		Sign up today! To sign up or for questions, please e-mail Eric Monty or call 617-892-9173.
STEP 2:		Create your own web page for pledges! Go to www.firstgiving.com/pinestreetinn and follow the easy instructions to set up your personalized pledge page where you can direct friends and family members to donate to Pine Street.
STEP 3:		Start Fundraising! Ask your friends and family to either make a donation on your Web site or pledge on a per-square basis. (For example: $1 per square x 50 squares = $50.) Read our tips for fundraising. Although fundraising is not a requirement, we strongly encourage all knitters to fundraise or make a personal donation to support Pine Street.
Step 4:		Start Knitting! Even though the event is in November, begin knitting now! Knit as many 9" x 9" squares as possible. We will knit squares at the event, but pre-knitted squares will allow us to assemble more blankets.
STEP 5:		Tell all knitters! Invite your friends to join in the fun.

Warm Woolies

Warm Woolies is a great charitable organization that helps children both here (US) and abroad. It primarily works with native American reservations (some of the poorest children in the US live on reservation lands... ) and Eastern European orphanages, which offer suffer from lack of heat. I have a few pairs of wee mittens that will be winging off to them this winter.

They offer free patterns for donations, too... what a great idea!

Here the guidelines and address:

Feel free to use any child-sized pattern you like so long as it follows these four guidelines:

• First, we use wool. The kids we're knitting for live in extremely cold climates. Wool is warm and stays warm even when it's wet. It also holds up better and we intend for the items we knit to be passed down as they are outgrown.
• Second, any child-sized items are welcome. By "child-sized" we mean newborn to 16 years old. If your item turns out larger or smaller than you intended, that can be your secret! Whatever you knit will fit a child and be a blessing.
• Third, the warmer the item is, the better. Warm Woolies patterns call for size 10 1/2, 24' circular needles and bulky or doubled worsted weight yarn. Finer weight yarns are okay only for the smallest sized items.
• Fourth, think coverage and closure. A little too long is fine in a hat, sweater, vest, or sock cuff - a little too short is not. Sweaters and vests need to close securely all the way down.
• Fifth, if you have acrylic yarn, please consider making a baby blanket. You can follow any pattern you would like, the warmer the better.
• Please send finished pieces to
  Warm Woolies
  5572 E. Mansfield Ave.
  Denver, CO 80237

Note: they are 501(c), so your donation is tax deductible.

Red Scarf

The Orphan Foundation of America's Red Scarf drive is in full swing. You have until October 31st to get your scarf to them!

Orphan Foundation of America
The Red Scarf Project
21351 Gentry Drive
Sterling, VA 20166

Rules:

Scarf Size: Approximately 60" long and 5" to 8" wide. Scarves should be long enough to be wrapped around the neck, with tails long enough to be tied in the front.

Style: Think unisex collegiate. Ask yourself if your son, brother, and/or husband would enjoy receiving the scarf. Fringes are optional. Your scarf should drape and tie easily.

Yarn: Preferably DK, double fingering-weight, worsted weight, or light bully yarns. No laceweight, super-chunky, or mohair yarns as there are many people who find mohair too itchy. The yarn should be soft.

Color: Red! However, this could mean burgundy, cherry, russet, red stripes with other colors, or multicolor hues including red. Other unisex colors, including black, navy, teal, olive or gold are also welcome.

Finished and tagged: Yarn ends should be securely sewn in. For a personal touch, attach a tag saying "Handmade for You" with your first name, city, and group affiliation, if any. Donors have also included washing instructions, messages of encouragement, gift cards, burger bucks, books of stamps, etc.

Warmer Winters

Warmer Winters is an organization that knits items for donation in the Leominster and Fitchburg area. It uses volunteer knitters and also has ambitions of being a co-op for disadvantaged women who can sell their knitted items.

The Metro West Knitting Guild is currently collecting knitted items for donation: must be machine washable, adult/child/baby items needed.

Central Massachusetts has the largest population of children under the poverty level in the state. Organizations in this area often have difficult times raising funds or meeting the community needs because the entire area is struggling. Chronicle recently had a segment on Fitchburg and the new Main Streets program for revitalization.

If you are looking for a charitable cause during the season of giving, please contact Warmer Winters.

*Warmer Winters is not a 403(c), so your donation is not tax deductible.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Last night, at the guild meeting, I was dubbed a princess and provided a tiara! (which I wore through out the meeting.... i might wear it to Disney this weekend.)

A princess, you say? What makes ME a Princess?

I have strong feelings about birthdays. I think you should celebrate and shout from the rooftops, if that's your thing. I don't believe in ignoring your birthday. At all. It's a special day commemorating the day you landed on this earth. A very special day. No "it's just a day" or "ignore it, I'm too old"--- nope. I want a cake and a card and someone to say "Happy Birthday!" to me. I like me. I like that my mom and dad made me. I am eternally grateful that my mom had me.

So, today's my birthday and I am giving DIANE a present!

Diane- send me your address (do I already have it?) and I will send you a surprise in the mail.

Tonight, I am having world-famous PC-made corn chowder (it has asparagus and if have seen my house, you know about asparagus!) and I already got a card from both PC and Pumpkin.

My friend Mari called me to sing "happy birthday!" this morning.

It's a good day. It's my birthday!!!

Exhaustion

I am in that place where waking up in the morning is impossible. Staying awake past 10pm is unthinkable. I am dozing off at my lunch hour. My hands hurt from sheer exhaustion.

You know that level of tired when it hurts to make a fist?

I'm there.

Damn. I need this vacation... no wake up calls on Sunday, okay honey?

Get ready to .... Cowl?

Usually October is the month where you get ready to Howl... big harvest moons, chillier air and of course, Halloween. I had an idea for a friend (who shares my birthday, yes... you were all right- Thursday is my 31st birthday! I'll pull a name on that day) who needs a present. She's a new mom and routinely takes her new son for walks in the baby bjorn carrier thing. But she needs to stay warm too (he's well bundled... he has a fleece snowsuit and a winter one) and a scarf kept getting pulled on her neck when the baby shifted. So, the cowl was the answer!















(before and after blocking)

Pretty, huh? But, wait! There are TWO cowls here and unless my friend is a two-headed new mommy... she only needs one. I have found cowls are like potato chips. You. Cannot. Knit. One. Nope.














Pink for S. The buttons are from the League of NH Craftsman's Fair-- S picked them out for me a few years ago... little does she know that I have been waiting to use them for her.

Yarn: Manos de Uruguay
Needles: US 9 nylon circulars
Pattern: Philly Cowl (Rav link) by splityarn.com
Modifications: none, but the thick'n'thin yarn was harder to deal with than I expected. The overall product is beautiful (blocking is a miracle), but throughout, I was concerned about the texture. Now, I love it!















And the Blue??
Yarn: Malabrigo --- oh, yum....














I have an aunt in PA who just loves Blue. All things Blue. So, this one is for her. She's also the mom of two boys and I don't think they knit for her. And she deserves it. She's a nice aunt and I know she will be tickled pink(blue?) when this arrives for Christmas.















We're off on vacation at the end of this week. I am trying to think of stuff to pre-blog for while i am away. Also, we have some family stuff going on, so think good happy thoughts for us.

One week from today.......

Today is EXACTLY one week (7 days) from a very special day.

Anyone guess what it is?

Guessing correctly might win you a prize.....

(Mariuca, no giving away the answer in the comments!)

-Mini

PS_ No muscle cramps last night thanks to Icy Hot (oh god did I smell awful, but PC also had some on for muscle pain from working out- we smelled like old people) and a banana-chocolate-peanut butter-milkshake.

FO!

(crappy Palm Centro shot)

Pattern: Branching Out (Knitty)
Yarn: Frog Tree Merino, Purple, 2 skeins
Needle: US 8 20 inch circular nylon
Dimensions: 60 inches long, 6 inches wide
Comments: LOVE It! I am thinking of making a few more of these. :) This pattern was easy to memorize and the scarf flew along. I think they'd make excellent gifts. I am not planning to knit for the holidays, but some friends will most likely receive a few handknits. Small things. Mittens. Scarves. In fact, this might be the perfect color on my aunt.

QUESTION: I am using some of those puzzle-mats as my blocking surface. They are new and they stink of petroleum. Anyone had this problem? Am I going to have to bite the bullet and buy the knitter-specific ones? The ones that advertise in VK and IK? Do they stink too???

And, this is one bored cat. Bored b/c someone was busy rushing around taking photos and brushing teeth (slept in today!-- horrible muscle cramp in the middle of the night-- 3:40a.m. screaming and crying in pain... still hobbling around this morning) to pay attention to a kitty who wants to be carried.

This is funny because when we first got her, Pumpkin hated being picked up. Now, she will head-butt me until I pick her up.

On a side note: doctors-nurses-anyone: how to prevent muscle cramps in the legs? I get them something awful and my screaming and crying can wake up the neighborhood if I am not careful. I know PC jumps up and into action. My dad always said "stand on it!!" (this has been a problem since childhood) and while that works eventually, I have fallen more than once doing this.

Late Bloomer

I was always the 'early one' for everything. First girl to have a growth spurt, first to get boobs, first for all the accompanying misery that is adolescence. But, in terms of financial planning and saving? Totally late to the game.

I'm an instant gratification girl in some ways. I like buying something. Now. I can wait for vacations and plan for them, financially, no problem. So, I had to start thinking of my retirement as one big vacation. And save for it. I *never* look at my 401k. I put money there (7%....I know, I know... put 15%, but it's not going to happen) and my company puts money there (100% of up to 6% after 4 years) and there it sits. Someone somewhere does something with it. If I really wanted to know, I'd ask Al. (Al is Mari's hubby and a smart finance-y person. He also works where my 401k is sitting.) I could ask my brother (another finance-y person) but he's a know-it-all and well, that makes me itchy.

All this market rollercoastering had me wondering... what would this do to my 401k??

I logged in (after several password attempts-- yup, been that long) and voila! DOWN 6.8% since January. So, who's money are they losing? I am going with the one my company puts in... yeah, it's their half that is going down.

Just recently, I was able to go from paycheck-to-paycheck to a real savings account and 401k. Before then, it was "oh crap, not enough for bills." A healthy work bonus helped, but it also kicked my ass into gear. I'm budgeting better (minus yarn purchases) and getting ready for the future. Last week, I had a conversation with a banker about CDs and how to "ladder" them to compound my interest.

Who am I?

Certainly not the girl who used to dig for change to turn in at coinstar. For gas money.

We're off to Disney in a few weeks (like 12 days) and I'm going on a budget. Tickets have been purchased and I am taking one pre-paid Visa with me. (and my emergency card in case I need to re-book a flight or something)

My new pet

Doesn't it look like she took blue wool and left it underneath a tree... and the sunlight's dancing just the right way over the blue? The resulting yarn from PumpkinMama....
my new pet. I'm gonna call him Mr. SunnySkies. :) (The colorway is SummerSky and the yardage is ~275yds. Pattern suggestions accepted. It's merino, so head covering is what I am thinking!)

WIPs and yarn!

I have had exactly 6 hours in the lab this week. The other 34? Meetings. Good lord, the meetings.

I am super super excited. I said i would wait until it arrived, but I am too excited.

Do you know Pumpkin Mama? She has an Etsy shop where I like to drool and pretend I can spin. I can't spin. You all should know that. I can't do it. I am spinning deficient. PumpkinMama spins though. We worked something out and some of her hand-dyed fluff-o-rific wool has been magically changed into yarn (!!) for me. Like 300yds of it. Oh.my.god. She said it's done, it's been wetted (is this when you soak the yarn and whack the daisy out of it to somehow make the twistie part stay put?) and will be here soon.

I need to speed knit PC's sweater so I can play with my new handspun when it arrives. I might just keep it in my purse and pet it for a few days.

Don't look at me like that. You know you would do it too.

Photos when it arrives.

PC-sweater photo (in progress) soon too... I am almost done with the back. I am hoping 2 days of rain and football result in a front too!

Registration

I spent my first hours of the morning at the Registry of Motor Vehicles. Yes, it's that time again: new drivers' license. The photo is horrible and is HUGE motivation to lose some weight. ha ha ha.

An odd occurrance at the Registry this morning, though. I'd like to share it b/c it perplexed me so much.

A gentleman (*cough* I am being very generous here) was in the back of the "wait in line before they open" line and was NOT happy. He huffed and puffed and tried to move to the front of the line. (Now, in the U.S. line jumping is not a way to make friends. ) He got nowhere fast. And he lost his original place in line. Next, he went through the line to the 'greeter' (once again, being very generous--- walmart has happier employees than this Registry) and got his number to wait (again) for his turn. He was not happy. He paced. He waited for each window to open up and then would rush the window (even though it was not his turn, indicated by the number they give you) and try to push (physically) the person who's turn it WAS. Anywho... this happens once. Twice. Three times....oh and it's the charm. He jumps in front of ME to get to the window. *sigh* Not really in the mood for crazies today and feeling somewhat "you aren't better than me buddy-- get back in line!", I don't move. I go about my business... trying to keep the man from knocking me down and then... the skies opened and the angels sung.

In Massachusetts, the Registries have State Police Troopers instead of security guards.

Imagine, being physically removed and (maybe?) arrested at the Registry of Motor Vehicles for impatience.

I'm impatient by nature. God, I got your message. I will play nicer and practice my patience from now on!

Happy Hooker

Now, now... it's not knitting, but it is a fiber art. Crochet. Love it or hate it. I used to ONLY crochet and for fast projects (Ahem: Red Scarf Project Scarves??) it's a no brainer. It does hurt my wrist a little, but I think it was b/c I had been away from it so long.










Pattern is the Acorn Bag (see on Ravelry)
Yarn: Acorn is Ella Rae; "cap" is Cascade220 and Rustic tweed held together.
Buttons: JoAnns
Speed: done in a day.

Conclusion: great little sock yarn bag --- needs a nubbin on top and a ribbon for a 'handle'. I blocked it b/c 1) it needed it and 2) the cap needed some reinforcement of it's shape.

I will be making another one of these soon.....

Trader Joes

Here's a few of my favorite point-friendly foods from TJ's.

Trader Joes

Dairy

Light string cheese

Fat free feta cheese

Low fat “shredded” mix of cheese

Soy milk (chocolate)

Frozen

Individual tilapia pieces

Breaded halibut pieces

Breaded cod filets

Orange chicken (good with broccoli—just like take out!)

Spicy green beans (serve with plain chicken--- yummmm)

Ginger carrots

Broccoli

Green beans

Corn

Asparagus

* a note about the veggies- I find TJ’s frozen veggies far superior to any canned/frozen alternative

Dry goods

Whole wheat pasta (cheaper and healthier!)

Pizza sauce

Soups! (sweet potato bisque and butternut squash are household faves—add curry to the squash soup—delish!)

Chicken broth

Relish (cranberry)

Grapeseed oil

Balsamic vinegar

Better’N’Butter Peanut Butter (tastes less like peanut butter, more like squished peanuts)

Joe-Os

Granola bars (all kinds)

Beef jerky

Almonds—the 4 point packs are good portion control!

Oprah moment

Navy. The color I chose for PC’s sweater is Cascade 220 in Navy. He looks very handsome in all tones of blue and I think a navy sweater on a man is 1) very versatile and 2) casual when necessary. This sweater is for the cold months coming up – dinners out that require more than a sweatshirt, less than a ties; days when the air feels so good and crisp but it’s still got quite a nip to it; and an effort to keep our heating bill in the lower digits.

Thanks for the support on my WW “journey”… jeez, doesn’t that sound hokey? “journey.” Like I am getting in a boat and finding a new world. No. I am not. I am not re-discovering myself. I am trying to lose weight so that I look like what I feel like. That’s not so bad, is it? I really don’t need to have an Oprah moment about this. Have you ever noticed that? Women in my demographic or slightly older (30+) have this need to have what I call “oprah moments.” These moments of intense meaning and self worth and clarity in their lives. I am all for some navel-gazing: it’s good for the soul, but too much navel gazing means you miss what’s going on around you. And, I think it sets us up for disappointment. A cousin once told me that she thought motherhood was this instantaneous bond with her child that would fill her soul and finally give her life direction. She prepared for this inner light to shine through her and into her child’s life. She finally admitted that while she felt responsible for her child and was happy to be a mom… there was little immediate satisfaction in a screaming infant. Those moments of peace where when the little one finally fell asleep and she could do so also. The inner light in her faded very fast due to limited sleep and a very demanding child. She felt isolated even with her family surrounding her. In this conversation, I got the feeling that she felt like she had done something wrong. That, in some way, not having this “clouds parting, finally seeing the mystery of life” moment was somehow her fault. No Oprah moment = failure.

I will not set myself up to fail. I am going to Disney World (the happiest place on earth…) in a few weeks for a vacation with PC’s family. There will be food and being on vacation with someone else’s family can always be stressful, but I will be walking everyday and enjoying healthy choices. Disney’s mysterious happiness doesn’t include a zero calorie factor in their food. Right? Christmas is coming soon and I love cookies. I don’t need to have 3 of every kind. One is good. Being choosy and saying “what’s your favorite?” and trying only one is better. Enjoying the people and not the food is the best.

PC and I were invited to France for the New Year and while we still don’t know if we are going, it’s an opportunity. Being overweight is not a reason to not participate or not take advantage of an opportunity.

No Oprah moments.

cho is me.....

I am sure that as like most American women (according to the media and some recent studies), I am somewhat weight-obsessed. As an obese person who has struggled with her weight for almost 25 years (yes, it began at age 6), I will say this: food is life. My body requires me to eat a certain number of calories per day to survive. How I choose to eat those calories is the stuff that fad diets are made of.

I have been a Weight-Watcher for 8 years now. I have gained, lost, committed, recommitted and it’s been a real roller coaster. Living your life while constantly analyzing the minutia of what you are eating is taxing, degrading and fuel for a psychotic breakdown. So, I don’t. I do WW. Of course, right now, I am doing WW “offline” as I have given enough money to the company at this point…. And I really need to work some stuff out, like my carb to protein ratio. And that will involve some scale “wiggle” (+/- depending on the ratio) for a few weeks.

PC is right behind me, fully supporting my goals and gently (okay, sometimes NOT SO GENTLY) pushing me to exercise more. He’s really into adding fitness to the weight loss equation. He doesn’t care what size I am as long as I am fit. By the by, PC lost almost 75-80lbs last year doing WW. He looks and feels (to both of us!) great!

An effort to make this WW thing a “full time” adventure and not something I do occasionally--- I am tracking using an Excel sheet someone gave me awhile back. I can track my points at all times. I am considering switching from my Blackberry to a Palm Treo (or iPhone) so that I can keep my points with me and have a point calculator at all times. Our house is currently filled with healthy foods that consist of very few snacks and very few “trigger” foods. (trigger food: ice pops. Diet soda. Chips.)

The food thing has always boggled me b/c I LOVE food. I truly do. I like cooking, I like spices, I like to savor my food. So, from now until whenever- PC, we are back to eating at the dining room table (we eat in the living room in the summer- it has AC). The Weight Watcher recipes will be back in the oven, on the stove and in the crockpot. I have never really liked microwave meals or super greasy dinners.

In an effort to make sure that what I am eating is GOOD to me (good in the sense that I WANT to eat it), I have been test-driving yogurts. Yogurt is a good food for weight maintenance. It has a good combination of calcium and protein and fat (you need a little fat) and the right kind can be low in sugar. I am not loving WW 1pt yogurt—too sweet, too splenda-y and the texture is off. I love greek yogurt. I found Chobani 0% and am in love. 140 calories of oh-my-god-this-could-be-ice-cream deliciousness. Their website… go ahead, click. I’ll wait.

*Muzak*

Are you back? Good. Did you see the recipes section? HOW COOL IS THAT? Over the next week, look here for recipes, my favorite foods list (trader joes--- oh, how I love thee!) and of course, knitting.

PC was looking through an LL Bean catalog for a sweater on Friday. LL Bean! What kind of knitter am I? I picked a nice sweater pattern, went to Black Sheep for yarn and two separate cast ons later (I cast on for a 44 inch and got 38 inch. So, I cast on for the 52 inch and hopefully I’ll have a 44-46 inch.)

Wish me luck.

You can't pick your family... or can you?

I've always heard "you can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your family." Lately, I've been wondering if that is true. I have a family (a large one, in fact, full of cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles...) that I love and I would do so much for each and every one of them. But, I have a second family. No, I'm not counting in-laws (or in my case, hope-to-be-future-in-laws.... PC's family) and such. No... I'm talking about my friends who are my family.

I mentioned my 'niece' Noodle in the last post. She's not my brother's child. She has none of my genetic material in her. No, she's our friends' daughter and she is my niece. My friend Mari (see sidebar for her site!) and my friend S (who's giving me a nephew- RemDog (nickname-- she's not naming her kid RemDog after Jerry Remy) are as close as sisters to me. I call them when I need support, need to laugh, need to cry. We share secrets and stories. We talk about everything-- nothing's off limits. I never had sisters and I finally do.

Now, my brother's wife is expecting their first child (we are very excited!) and this will just add to my "brood" of nieces and nephews.

We had a lengthy discussion at work once about what constitutes "family"--- we have a company policy that if you or dependent parent, spouse or child is sick, you can take sick time (it's unlimited... to a point) freely without question. PC and I live together. He's my family. He cares for me when I am sick; I care for him when he is sick. An incident landed us in the ER one night and into the following morning... PC was sick. He needed me. I stayed. I called into work (waiting until someone was there to answer the phone... I hate leaving "I'm sick" messages on voicemail) and when I went in the following day, was informed I needed to take a vacation day b/c "he's not your family." This decision has since been changed ( I think once they heard themselves say that OUT LOUD they realized how asinine it sounded) and we have had discussions about how the American family is changing: two mommys, two daddys, unmarried parents, living with grandparents or uncles/aunts, single parent families, siblings raising younger siblings... all of these constituting a family.

Where on earth am I going with this?

The Red Scarf Project (Norma's got way more details) for the Orphan Foundation. Kids who have "aged out" of the foster system and are headed off to college. Alone. No one to move them in, make their bed, and beg them to call every night. No one to rush home to for Thanksgiving break. And more importantly, no one to send those oh-so-important care packages to college. My care packages usually arrived with my parents on a weekend visit. Cookies from my mom. A banana bread from my Nana. My dad brought me a wee rose bush one visit for Valentine's Day.


So, I knit a red scarf...did you?? I'm knitting another one, I hope.... are you??

in need of an update!

Remember the Abby-Cadabby sweater? Well, here she is (unblocked)--- ready for her party! The real Abby Cadabby was very pleased with her sweater and her thank-you note photo was her in her sweater !!! (thanks, Stef... she is adorable!) The back "wings" gave me fits... I think I knit and crocheted 8 separate wings. In the end, some off-the-cuff crochet (a combo of single, double and 1/2 double crochet stitches) works well.





















PC's contribution to the gift? Well, he was my "does this look cute or creepy" sounding board. You all know how cartoon-y things can go really well or HORRIBLY wrong, right? I think this went right. Oh, and PC was the source of one very blonde, very fairy, princess wand to complete the outfit. Abby-Cadabby herself loved it.

Can't forget about my niece, hereafter referred to as "Noodle" or "Her Noodleness." This Classic Elite Cotton Bamboo was picked up last night at Island Yarn in Waltham. Oh, you didn't know Vicki was open LATE on Mondays? LATE as in 8:30pm!!! She hosts a knit-night there for whoever wants to sit and knit from 6-ish to 8:30pm every Monday (check on holidays). Now, my Noodle is a girl with class and distinction. And, well... as an Eastern European beauty (like her mom), pale pink is a "notsomuch" color on her. Her one and only Auntie-knit sweater is a rich buttery coral color. Looks fab on her! So, a dark raspberry-merlot color will really make her skin shine!










I am casting on for this at lunch: HoneyPie (see Ravelry for info). A few things about this pattern- there is no yardage provided. At all. I have 3 balls of Bamboo (130yds per ball) and one "held" at Island Yarn. (Have I mentioned how much I LOVE Vicki? No "buy 4 now... return it later"--- no, no, no... "take 3, I'll hold one behind the counter if you need it." Oh my god... totally crushing on my yarn shop!)











Tomorrow: charity starts at home. Or, what I did for the The Orphan Foundation (a red "Plus" some colors scarf--- wear sunglasses to view tomorrow's photos. you've been warned.) and for a friend at the Metro West Knitting Guild. I hate knitting chemo caps, but when it's the only help you can offer, you put every ounce of love and prayer into each and every stitch. With my dad on the road to cancer-remission, knitting chemo caps still makes me cry... reminds me of how much I almost lost.

More tomorrow.