Speaking it doesn't mean you can knit it

Yes, I am fluent in Spanish. Yes I can read in Spanish. Can I knit in Spanish? er, no. I don't know any of the terminology and I certainly wouldn't be able to figure out any complicated pattern work (SSK, PSSO, KFB - who the heck knows how that is said in Spanish?).

Anyhow, why does that matter? It matters because months ago I found this lovely online zine. It has a few really nice patterns but, heck if I know what they are talking about in the directions!

I added it to my bloglines anyhow thinking that someday I would be adventurous enough to either figure it out or look up the translations somewhere.

Well, guess what? They've translated some of their patterns for me! Yeah! Look at these lovelies. Beautiful no?

Gotta go. Gonna add them to my Ravelry queue!

Finished Objects, Rachel Ray, etc.

So, since the last time we've been together there have been a couple of covert projects that snuck in and, believe it or not, got FINISHED! First off was a fun little knit that I love, love, love!
Cute huh? It's a ruffly scarf made with Online Linea 194 Solo yarn. So easy. So fun. It makes me feel like I'm wearing a boa! tee hee. I got the yarn during our most recent trip to Asheville when I saw the shop model and HAD to have one just like it. Very satisfying knit. Now if it would drop back down to below the 70's so that I could wear it, I would be happy. (Can you believe that it went from mid 50's to upper 70's and 80 degrees here overnight and it's still that warm? UGH! It's Winter and Christmas is less than 2 weeks away. It needs to be cooler!)

Oops, tangent rant. Let's get back on track shall we? The next covert project was a result of this little one's early arrival
That would be Baby Girl C. She came into the world 9 weeks early as her mommy was having some serious blood pressure issues. She is the daughter of my cousin although I call her my neice. That picture is of her the day after she was born and she's now 2 1/2 weeks old and looks like this: Look at all that hair for a preemie! So, so cute! Anyhow, she warranted the immediate cast on and completion of this beauty:That would be the Pinwheel Baby Blanket done in 3 different colors of Cotton Ease; snow (white), strawberry cream (light pink - d/c'd color - rats) and bubble gum (dark pink - d/c/d color - rats again!)

So, after being derailed b/c of Baby C, I finally got back to working on my SOTS (which I was woefully behind on anyway). I don't have any of the most recent pictures of it but it isn't to far from this: I've done more of the middle back portion but really haven't gotten back into the "meat" of the lace knitting yet. But I'm going at it as much as I can.

Let's see. Oh, DS and I waited for about 5 hours to meet my cooking goddess who was extremely nice in person. Poor thing had signed over 1500 books by the time we got to her and was still smiling and talkative to both myself and DS. Here are a few shots from the book signing:

The silly woman in white who stood RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE of the photos was her publicist. Geez, y'think she would have known people were photographing the signing? UGH!

We've been going to a couple of holiday parties and I've gotten to get dolled up. YEAH! Love to get to play dress up from time to time. Here are the pictures (of course)




That's about it for now. DS is in the school's chorus and has quite a few performances coming up. I'll have to post about them and further knitting/crafting projects next time.

Bye!

'Tis the Season. . . . .

for a Christmas MEME! haha. Here goes:

Okay, here's what you're supposed to do, and try not to be a SCROOGE ! Just copy this entire post and then replace my answers with yours!

'Tis the Season to be NICE !

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

Wrapping paper but gift bags for things that are too hard to wrap or way too big!!!

2. Real tree or artificial?

BOTH! We have an artificial tree that's our "formal" tree in the formal living room. It's all decorated with Burgundy, Green and Gold ornaments and ribbons. We have our real tree in our family room. That's the one with all our family and annual ornaments. There is so much fun in going out and finding "the" tree and then reminiscing while putting up all the family, home-made and annual ornaments. . . . that reminds me. I need to go get out 2007 ornaments. YIKES!

3. When do you put up the tree?

On Black Friday! It's the only thing that I will go out shopping for on that day! It's a big tradition to go find the perfect tree and set it up. Then we decorate the formal tree that day while waiting for the branches on the live tree to drop. That whole weekend is spent on christmas decorations around the house while playing christmas music!

4. When do you take the tree down?

Not until after Epiphany. Being Cuban, we celebrated Epiphany each year and we continue to do so as a family now.

5. Do you like eggnog?

It's alright but I prefer coquito (hispanic eggnog)

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

Anything Barbie.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

I think that at last count I have 3 - maybe 4? There's one in the formal living room, one in the dining room and another in the family room. . . . hm, I think I am missing the little one that goes in my bedroom come to think of it. . . .

8. Hardest person to buy for?

DH and his Dad

9. Easiest person to buy for?

DS and my Mom

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

I don't remember any sticking out in my head as bad so I guess I really haven't had any?

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?

Mail

12 . Favorite Christmas movie?

The year without a Santa Claus (the heat and cold misers crack me up) and Santa Claus is coming to town (love how the explain all the things about santa in that one plus the mean guy that runs the town is funny)

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

Believe it or not, I start to look for stuff around Halloween time. I hate last minute shopping b/c I feel like I end up buying stuff just to get stuff. I prefer making sure that I get the 'right' gifts so, I start early.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Nope.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

If I could, I would have the traditional Cuban Pig Roast dinner like when I was growing up! Since I can't I love my Turkey dinner complete with canned cranberry jelly. Yum-O!

16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?

Tee hee, again, it's BOTH. Clear on the formal tree and colored on the family tree.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

O Holy Night

18. Travel for Christmas or stay home?

I must say I prefer just staying home but you can all come visit if you'd like!

19. Can you name all of Santa's' reindeer?

Yep!

20. Angel on the treetop or star?

I know, it's getting old but, again, BOTH. Angel on formal and Star on family tree (in fact the star we have is the one that DH had growing up).

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Christmas Morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

Crowds at EVERY SINGLE STORE regardless of whether I'm christmas shopping or not. Why do people insist on waiting until the last minute? UGH!

23. What I love most about Christmas?

Seeing DS running down and watching his face when he first sees the presents under the tree. I love going to Christmas mass as well. It really reminds me of what Christmas is all about.

24. What's your favorite Christmas Memory?

DS's first christmas when we put him in the stocking we got from the hospital and took a picture of him under the tree. He's been the best christmas present EVER!

25. Believe or Not?

ABSOLUTELY Believe!


Now, I think that I will Tag Miss Pink, Miss Jennifer, Miss Jeanne, Miss Amy and Miss Lolly. Tell us all about you and Christmas!

LOVE THIS!!!!

This is what blogging is truly about and although I've lived it for a while, I am publicly declaring that I now will be

Yeah! Yes there has been knitting. There has also been a baby born to knit for as well. All details will be posted when I can. Right now, I have knitting, crafting and cleaning to do.

Love you all!

Happy Turkey Day!

(The above turkey is from Ruthlessknitting -isn't it darling? I wish she had the pattern available now!)

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving here in the US. I have today off as well so we are going to do the last minute grocery shopping and cleaning. We aren't having a HUGE celebration but we are having a neighborhood family come on over. Our friends have 2 boys and were staying in town as well so we thought we would spend the meal together. I have the turkey and pumpkin pie to do. She's doing the apple pie, shrimp cocktail, wine and stuffing. We are each doing a potatoe dish (she sweet potatoes, me regular potatoes) and a vegetable (she's doing green bean casserole and I'm doing ???????). Pretty fair distribution I think.

The boys will be able to play together before and after the meal and the men can watch football while we finish up the cooking. Luckily, my house has an open floor plan that allows us to talk with them from the kitchen while they watch the games. We've already decided that the men will do the cleaning up (we might have neglected to tell them that so far. . . . .tee hee) and we will KNIT! Yep, she knits as well and has recently been inspired by my knitting to start knitting again. Yeah!

I'm looking forward to a great day.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and I hope that the coming year brings you all plenty more to be thankful for!

Just what I needed

So, last post was a huge bummer I know. But, it is where I was at and what I needed to write. It helped to write it all out.

Hubby was great and took me and DS away for the weekend. We drove about 3 hours or so to the coast and spent the long weekend at Atlantic Beach, NC. Great time was had by all. Usually our weekends away are chock full of stuff to do and we are constantly going, going, going until it's bedtime. This was different. Although we had one place to visit each of the 3 days, each site was done leisurely and then the rest of the day was spent, er, 'vegging' (for lack of a better word). So here's the recap:

Saturday morning we took off for our drive. The weather was cool but dry and just a little cloudy. Great day for an indoor activity - the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knolls Shore which is just one of three aquariums that we have here in NC. We saw lots of different fish/animals and had a great time. Here are a few pics from the aquarium:
Overall we gave the Aquarium a thumbs up!

Sunday we decided to go to visit Fort Macon. Very interesting and really fun to explore. The day was perfect with cloudless blue, blue skies and weather in the mid-60's. Fabuloso! After the Fort, we walked along the beach and went shell hunting. Here are the pix:



We also took DS to see "The Bee Movie". It was entertaining and well done but, the story was a bit far fetched even by animated movie standards. DS enjoyed it though and it was entertaining so, I wouldn't buy the DVD or anything but I'm glad we saw it.

Monday was our day to take a ferry over to the island and visit Cape Lookout. What a great place! First of all, the 'season' is over and it usually isn't busy anyway because there is nothing on the island except the lighthouse. We took a small ferry (a large skiff really) with a few other folks and explored the island. We didn't get to go into the lighthouse (there are only 4 days a year where the actual lighthouse is open) but we did go into the lighthouse keeper's home and read alot about the history of Cape lookout and Cape Lookout Sound. There were so few people there that it felt as though we were the only ones on the island. It was quiet and peaceful and as we walked the shore we heard the birds and the waves and collected sea shells. Pure heaven!





All in all, it was a great weekend. We had something to do each day but each visit was just a few hours and the rest of the time was spent quietly relaxing and just spending time together. I truly appreciated my family this weekend and was filled with many happy memories of my own family weekends as I was growing up. I felt like Daddy was with me and I felt a warmth of love from my husband and son that reminded me of the love of my Daddy. I realized he'll always be with me. It was a good weekend.

Today and this weekend

I am going to request no comments to this post please. I don't know how to turn them off for a post and I don't have the inclination of researching it right now. Thanks for understanding.

Today is the 10th anniversary of the last time I spoke with my Daddy. That day was a Friday as well.

This weekend is going to be huge for me to get through. There are so many details to the story and so much guilt on my part over his death. I can't get into details right now, I'm not in the frame of mind to actually write the words out. Let's just say, I'm a cardiac nurse and I was a daughter when I should have been a bit more of a nurse. . . I still feel like I let him and my Mom down. 'nuf said.

This weekend is going to be hard b/c a DECADE seems like an impossibility. How can it actually have been that long when it feels like it happened TODAY!?! Besides the length of time, it happens to also fall on the same days of the week.

So, I know that this weekend will be like reliving it all over again. "At this time I was talking to him" "Now, I was calling the hospital and heard about the bleed" "I talked to Mom right now" "We spoke with the doctors at this time" "I kissed him for the last time right about now". . . . . .

The worse part of it all is thinking how life could have been so different had this horrible horrible thing never happened. DS would have KNOWN him. Daddy got to meet and hold and love him. Thank God. I will hold those memories dearly for the rest of my life. But, my son never got to know him. He wasn't even a year old when Daddy passed away. He doesn't have any memories of him.

I miss my Daddy. I miss him every day. Before my Daddy died and I would hear people say "I think about so so every day of my life" I thought "Isn't that a bit of an exaggeration? Do you really think about them EVERY SINGLE DAY?" I had lost family members and, though I thought of them often, every single day was a bit of a stretch. Or so I thought. Then my Daddy died. Then I knew.

I have thought of my Daddy every single day. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. His passing also brought my wonderful mother-in-law's death to me every single day. She was like a second Mom and life would have been totally different as well had she not died. They both died from very similar circumstances and both abruptly and unexpectedly. It's made it that much harder to have both of them to grieve for daily. Sometimes I feel like I can't breathe.

There is an emptiness within my soul that can never be filled. There is a place where a part of me has been taken and no one else can ever refill. I was my Daddy's little girl and he was my big strong hero. My safety net. I made him smile and he made me feel like a princess. He would smile at me and I would instantly be filled with joy and happiness. He would put up with me hanging all over him whether or not he was dead tired or sore or cranky or hurting or anything else. He would let me tickle him when he HATED to be tickled b/c we would laugh together and it would make me happy. He knew by looking at me just what I would like to do and knew just when to do it. HE took care of me in a way that no one else will ever be able to.

The last thing I said to him was that he would be OK. That it would all be alright and not to worry. I lied. I didn't know I was lying but I lied. It wasn't and it isn't and I can't take that back. I can't take back that the last thing I told him was a lie and that I let him down. He never let me down. I let my Mom down. He would have never allowed that to happen.

I miss my Daddy. I miss him every single day. It isn't an exaggeration.

Oh Dear,

Seems like I've let quite a bit of time pass since posting notice of completing Cherie and actually getting back on to post a picture! Sorry for the delay but without any further delays, here she is:


I love her! It's the quickest knit I've ever made (besides dischcloths) and I think it's one of my faves so far. No modifications made and the fit was spot on. I know that many knitters have had issues with the neckline decrease portion of the pattern but, I guess I was lucky? I just knit what it said and it seemed to work for me without any questions. The thin/thick quality of the Manos gives it a feel that really appeals to me for this knit so, overall I am happy with the process and the end product!

So, I've been doing quite a bit of knitting in my absence from the blogging world. I've finished clue #1 and started #2 of my Secret of the Stole. Yep, I'm behind but I'm enjoying the knitting so, I am not too concerned about it. I just want to finish and I will be happy to keep myself in check, within 2 clues of the forerunners, until I am done with it.

My heart was broken since I've last blogged but, I will get over it (again). Sigh. There's always next year right?

A couple of weeks ago, we took an overnight trip to Biltmore for their Harvest Celebration. I was hoping that the leaves would be starting to turn for our drive on the most visited Parkway in the US but, alas, not yet. (I bet it's GORGEOUS now!) We had a great time away and enjoyed ourselves. We took our first ever specialty tour at the Estate, the 'rooftop tour'. We got to see some different areas and views that we hadn't seen before. Here are some of my fave shots of that day:






DS has been having a great time this Fall. There are so many more neighborhood kids his age in this development and he's made quite a few friends. There are a core group of 4-6 boys that come over each afternoon to play and jump on our trampoline. It's so cool to have kids FINALLY be able to just ride their bikes over and ask him to play. In Ohio, I always had to organize playdates and have kids dropped off or drop him off somewhere. Then I would have to watch the clock to be able to pick him up in time or make sure that no new games were started too close to pick up time. Now? Now, he goes off with his friends or they come over and they play until they're tired or it gets to be dinner time. LOVE IT! He's also been "booed". . . TWICE! Despite posting the first "boo" sign, we STILL got "booed" a second time. How cool! He also had a ball sneaking over and 'booing' his friends in the dark. Very spyish y'know!

Uh, for those of you that don't know about "booing" here's a link with an explanation and all you need to start your own 'booing'.

Other than that, life's been the same over here. Work. DH traveling (blech). Sunny being sunny. DS being wonderful. It's all good.

Yep.

All good!

Don't stop believin'!

Go TRIBE!!!!

I can taste it. . . . . .

tee hee. All the knitting is done.


Now there is just seaming to do.


Woo hoo!

Good vs. Bad

The GOOD:

The Indians are on their way to Fenway Park! :-)

The BAD:

We are in NC this year and are missing all the 'fever' in Cleveland. :-(



The GOOD:

My FIL and his wife are coming to visit this weekend! :-)

The BAD:

I need to do some major housework between today and tomorrow. :-(



The GOOD:

DH STILL loves his job and has just had his 1 year anniversary! :-)

The BAD:

He's been doing a lot of traveling and is set to do more still. :-(


AND last but not least. . . . . . . . .



The GOOD:

One sleeve down and just one to go! :-)

The BAD:

Work has been so busy and life so crazy that I haven't had time to knit and I still don't have that much! :-(

I can't stand the wait anymore!

10 hours and 41 minutes to go, but who's counting?

I'm such a two-timer! (psst actual knitting content)

Well, actually, it would be more accurate to say 5 or 6 timer with the number of UFO's I have going right now. Yep, this is a knitting blog and I actually have knitting content! Will wonders never cease? tee hee.

Oh yeah, back to my scandalous ways. So, remember when Ashley recently tempted me with this beauty?. Well, actually I first started to notice Ashley's designs when this first came out. I thought "Wow, that's hot!" albeit a bit impractical for a 40ish suburban mom with that big peek a boo back. I was contemplating it sans said hole but not enough to actually begin it. Then in this month's Magknits we saw Ashley again with this. Once again, it caught my eye but not enough to put me over the edge.

But then. . . . . .

Then there was Cherie Amour. Oh, my. I just went into my best Stevie Wonder when I saw this one.

"My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore. You're the only one my heart beats for. How I wish that you were mine. . . . . . . ."

ahem.

Anyway. I fell and I fell hard. So hard that I went out immediately and purchased (yikes, I know I know) the yarn for it. Now in my defense, I searched my stash but alas I had no yarn in sufficient quantity and correct gauge for this one. So, purchase it was. Thankfully I still had some credit on the gift certificate that DH got me for Christmas last year (yep! I can show restraint when I want to, see?). I did have to purchase a 24" size 13 circular but, that's beyond the point.

So, cast on I did and after just 3 knitting sessions, this is where I am:

Isn't she beautiful? (uh, the sweater I mean). I love it. I would be much further along had it not been for some snaffoos I had yesterday in the neckline decreases. I had to knit and unknit a total of 12 rows (knit 2 1/2 - realize a mistake - unkit 2 1/2 - knit 4 1/2 - find mistake - unknit 2 1/2, etc.) That's what I get for knitting while watching college football I guess. But, I'm happy with the results and glad to have fixed all my mistakes. I'm so close to the end I can't stand it.

Specifics: Cherie Amour
Fall 2007 Knitty
24" addi-turbo circulars in both US 9 and US 13
Manos del Urugay kettle dyed wool
Color 107

My goal is to have her done before the start of Secret of the Stole. I think I can do it. What do you all think?

Finally finished.

I finished my Mother's Day project stitching today. It will be in the mail in the morning to become part of the tote bag. As I stitched I was thinking of what took me so long to finish this. I picked it up because I received notice of the deadline. I HAD to finish it now. I wouldn't fail Linda Villar. It would be completed.

What had taken me so long? Why had I not completed it straight away? It is such a small piece of stitching. 1.7 inches long and about .4 inches tall. Miniscule. 12 letters with a single period after her middle initial. That's it. What could have possibly prevented me from finishing it in a more timely fashion?

Was it forgetfulness? No. I had the hoop with the partially stitched name on my dresser. I saw it almost every day. I thought of Linda J. Villar. Pictured her photo in my mind quite often since receiving her name and looking her up. It was definitely not forgetfulness.

Was it apathy? On the contrary. I felt myself sigh every day as I looked at her name staring back at me. I had completed "Linda J. V" and stopped but I saw the red of the finished letters and an anger would rise in me that I couldn't prevent. So, nope, not apathy either.

Was it inability or lack of time? Thinking back on the time that has passed since beginning this project, there have been plenty of times when I could have picked up the stitching to complete those last precious 5 letters. I almost picked it up many a time but then would just touch the fabric, say a prayer and leave it there unfinished and waiting once more. I've done needlework almost all my life and have the ability to complete this and I knew it would take 20 - 30 minutes to do. Not this either.

So, what exactly was IT that kept me from completing it until I absolutely had to? I wasn't sure at first but as I sat on my couch and slowly stitched the remaining 5 letters I thought about it. I stitched and thought of Linda. I stitched and thought of all the other names that will be on this tote. I stitched and thought of all the soldiers who will come to perish and not have there names on this tote. I prayed a little too.

Then I looked down and it was done. The last 5 letters. I added a little floral detail to the end of her name. Still all in red for her shed blood. But a little something else to honor her. Like flowers on a grave. And that was that. Done.

THEN I knew. I knew why I hadn't completed this earlier. Why I stared at it and left it on my dresser. Why I wouldn't finish the stitching without the prompt of a deadline. . . . . .

I didn't finish because completing her name was so final. Like her death. I wouldn't be stitching this anymore and her name would be on a tote that she should have never been on. Finishing it was like her dying all over again in my mind. A part of me deep down inside didn't want her name to be on the tote. Didn't want it to have to be on the tote. And yet, it needs to be. She is part of the loss in this war and she earned her place on the tote. I just didn't finish because I was wishing she hadn't had to.

Sigh. I love this kind of music.

Have a GREAT day and enjoy!

MUST NOT START ANOTHER PROJECT!

But THIS is so very, very tempting!

She's really outdone herself this time

Alright, so you all know how much I LOVE my friend Amy's knitting bags? I own 3 myself and have gifted quite a few as well. They are just great project bags and are very well made.


Well, she's got some new ones that are so so cool! She's starting a retro inspired "Jetsons" Series with "Daughter Judy" and "Jane his Wife" which are darling. PLUS, "Jane his Wife" supports the Susan G. Komen Foundation as she is donating part of the profits to the foundation. Go take a gander and check them out.

Fun, fun and more fun

I've been pretty negligent in my posting. I received my "Pay it forward" gift last week and never posted about it. Moriah really outdid herself with my package:

Look at what a great graphic she came up with:

I think I might just have to steal that for my PIFs! And the soap was so wonderful! Thanks again Moriah!

I've been working on assorted dishcloths myself in preparation for my part of the dishrag tag. Y'know, finding a pattern that is interesting yet quick to knit. However, my team's box seems to have gotten lost on it's way to me from California! Ugh! Oh well, the race is over - Congrats to the winners! - but I still want to get the box so that everyone in my team gets a turn at it. Hopefully it will turn up soon. No pictures of the cloths I've made as I have gifted them to ladies at work.

I've been working on my chevron scarf and it's coming along nicely. I'm more than half way through the yarn and should have a finished product relatively soon. I'm waiting until that time to take a final picture and then post. It's going to be so pretty! Question is, do I keep it or gift it? Not sure yet. We'll see when it's done.

Lastly, I was playing around on knitter crack and somehow came across this pattern. How could I resist? Let me start off by saying that I used stash yarn to complete it and it just took 1 1/2 days. So quick and easy too! Wanna see mine? OK. . . . . .



I used a pale green Paton's Grace - it took less than a skein to make. Really this was such a fun, quick and entertaining knit. The fact that the yarn I used is a cotton yarn actually makes it, dare I say, wearable. Let me tell you, the fit is really nice and it's comfortable. I was really surprised as I thought it would never work as a garment. HAHAHAHAHA. I was thinking that I would make an I-cord and use elastic thread in the center of the I-cord to make it more wearable (vs. the ribbon).

Whodda thunk it?

ADDED 9/9/07


Click here to create your own painting.

Fabulous and AMAZING video

My mom sent me this link. The site isn't youtube so I can't get the video on here directly but it is SO worth a look.

It's about that time again

Jannett XXXXXX -- [noun]: A master of storytelling 'How will you be defined in the dictionary?' at QuizGalaxy.com

I can't help falling in love

I really can't. I am hopelessly in love with my chevron scarf. It's SUCH a pleasing, relaxing and rewarding knit. I took new photos to show the progress here and on Ravelry. So, without further adieu my chevron scarf as of this morning:













How can I resist this?

Crazy, CRAZY I tell you!

Yep, that would be me. Crazier than a LOON! So, not only did I already have too many UFO's on the needles throughout this house, not only am I expecting my team's box from the Dish Rag Tag this week, not only do I need to complete my Hogwarts Sock Swap 2 sock. . . . . .I started a Chevron Scarf. I don't usually fall prey to the "it" project (I still have not knit a jaywalker or a clapotis) but this one, I just couldn't pass up AND it's from stash yarn. Bonus!

I know, I KNOW. I stink. I can't help it though. Everyone has all those beautiful scarves everywhere on the blogosphere and in Ravelry. Have you seen these things? How could I resist?

So, want to take a looksy? Here it is:

You can see a couple of more shots of it on my Flickr page. It's about 3 or 4 times longer now and I can't put it down. It's an addictively easy and fun knit. I see a couple or more of these at some point in the future but hopefully not before I finish a couple of other things.

Hopefully.

Now, don't you want to make one too? C'mon, you know you do!

Meet the Simpsonized me!

Get your own here

Six degrees of. . . . . . DRACO?

So, over at my Hogwart's sock swap they are having a contest about connecting certain characters to Draco Malfoy ala "6 degrees of Kevin Bacon". You can read all about it on this post.

So, anyway, I love playing these kind of silly games so here goes:

I decided to start with Mad Eye Moody

1. Mad Eye Moody is ordered to protect Harry Potter by the Order of the Phoenix.

2. Harry Potter is Sirius Black's godson.

3. Sirius Black's cousin if Bellatrix LeStrange

4. Bellatrix LeStrange tortured Frank and Alice Longbottom (couldn't find a picture of them)

5. Frank and Alice Longbottom are Neville Longbottom's parents

6. Neville Longbottom is a classmate of Draco Malfoy

Tee hee. That was fun. It will be interesting to see how many different paths are taken to connect the characters. . . .

Speaking of the swap, I have cast on and knit past the cuff (yeah I'm going cuff down this time) on sock #2. . . . .but I spent some time on the crack site last night and now I want to cast on for a chevron scarf (I have 2 koigu's picked out already) AND Flair. All the stores and magazines are showing trapeze cropped jackets and I think Flair would fit the bill. Problem being, what yarn to use? I have some black cotton ease that I was thinking of and I also have some malabrigo in this color. The black would probably be better for a fall and winter cardigan though, huh?

Oooh an interactive quiz

So, I found this on Angela's blog and, you know me and a good quiz. Thing about this one is that if you know me well enough, you can alter the results of my daemon by answering the questions. This is supposedly so that my true daemon can be determined. Let's see what happens:

PIF exchange

OK,so you all know that I am in the Dish Rag Tag right? So, we are off and running and I was reading my team's forum so that I could participate with my team mates and find our just where we are in the race. So I started to do a little blog surfing among my team mate's blogs. I found information on the PIF Exchange from Alicia who found it from Alaina who got it from Jody. I was able to join in from Moriah's blog. So, just reading that last couple of sentences should give you a 'sense' of what it's all about. Here is the gist of the exchange (taken blatantly from Alaina's blog).

PIF Exchange

This exchange is based on this gorgeous movie with Helen Hunt in it called 'Pay It Forward'. How many of you out there have had a chance to watch it? O.K. If you've yet to see the movie, this is what the PIF Exchange is all about......


"Here is how it works! I'll send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange! I don't know what that gift will be yet, and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week...LOL... but you will receive it within 365 days, that's a promise! and it will be something yummy!! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog..."

So the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog, will get something made for them by me! I can't wait to see who you are! I should be able to come up with something good for you all, just you wait and see! Let me know you want in and if you are among the first 3, you'll be in! I'll need your email address when you comment so that I know how to reach you to obtain your address, ok?

Join in and then just pay it forward!

Fortunes. . . .

First, Thanks to all of you for the kind words and well wishes regarding the recent anniversary. It was so nice to open my email and find your congratulations there. What a pick me up! Thanks again.

So, I originally had had this grand idea of posting a different fortune every week. At the time, I was going to my FAVE sushi lunch spot weekly so, it was a plausible idea. And then, my summer got really, really busy. So, the weekly sushi lunches went by the wayside. Sigh.

So, I have a new fortune to share and I guess that this will be a sporadic thing rather than weekly but, it makes for good blogging content (at least I think it does). So, I will add it periodically.

'Nuf said.

Today's fortune?

"The only man who never makes mistakes is the man who never does anything."

Amen to that.

Finally some more knitting

OK, OK, so I am finally feeling better and can't sit down to a proper post. I have been up to some knitting during this brief run-in with a summer cold. I've worked on my Hogwart's Sock Swap and have almost completed sock number 1. Unfortunately, b/c this time around the swap isn't a secret one, I can not post progress pictures (RATS!) The time will have to wait until the pair is done and I ship them on to their new home. I need to keep up the pace so that they are done quickly and so that I will be ready for the race!

I need a quick but nice dishcloth pattern. Any suggestions ladies?

Lastly, my last Hogwarts Sock Swap pal had forgotten to include my needles in my package (oops!). Well, last week I got my needles and they were SO WORTH the wait. I got Lantern Moon Ebony DPNs. Wanna see? Take a look!



Beautiful, no?

Thanks so much Sandy!

Thanks for a great 18 years!

Don't we look like such babies? It's hard to believe that it's been 18 years since that wonderfully happy day. There have been, of course, ups and downs but I wouldn't trade a minute of it. How else would we have gotten where we are today? I firmly believe that each of life's journeys, both happy and sad or trying, lead us to the places we are and I am VERY HAPPY where I am right now.

Thank you honey. You are my best friend, my lover, my provider and caretaker. You watch over our little family better than anyone could ever do and I thank God every day for you in my life.

Happy Anniversary Sweetheart! Here's to the next 18, 28, 38 and so on years to come.

I feel crappy

My body is shaky, I'm sick to my stomach (on & off) and I have the headache from Hell. My nose is stuffy, my throat it scratchy, I have a crappy cough AND I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in a couple of nights. Had to stay home from work (after being cancelled on Monday and probably having to call off for tomorrow- crap we need the $$) and did NOT step foot out of the house for a single thing today AND it didn't drive me crazy! (Normally I would at least have to walk out on the deck or in the yard at some point.

BUT. . . . .

I DID start on the first sock for my pal's HP sock for Hogwarts Sock Swap 2. I would show you a picture of them except that this time around we KNOW who are pals are (we are doing a direct swap - she knits for me and I knit for her). Therefore, if I post a picture, there's a good likelihood that she'll see them and that would be no fun. . . . .

I can say that I knit the cuff and about 1 1/2 inches of the leg (so about 2 1/2 inches) which doesn't seem like a lot but I WAS after all sick and everything. . . .

I won't go too much into detail except to say that the beautiful Rio de la Plata in my last post will be the body of the socks and there is an alternate yarn for the cuff, heel and toe. Is it bronze? Is it silver? Is it variegated? I can't say. SOMETHING has to be a surprise, right?

I am surprised that I went cuff down. But, I found THE pattern and feeling sick and all I didn't want to think about how to convert it from cuff down to toe up. Oh well, that means that I will probably have some yarn left . . . . . maybe for opposite socks?

We'll see.


Oh, in other knitting news, I FINALLY found a new knitting group since moving. I foudn them through meetup and I FINALLY got to go to a get together on Tuesday night. What's nice is that this is a new group so it's not like I'm joining an already established group, y'know? They had only had 2 meetings prior to this one so everyone is still getting to know everyone.

It will be good for me. I missed having that.

OK, I'm getting dizzy again so I am going to go call off for tomorrow and lay down.

UGH!

CRAP!

As IF I needed another sock yarn to fall for. . . .along comes this beauty. Now, when it comes to kettle-dyed worsted, I am all about my malabrigo or manos. They are amazingly soft and FABULOUS with their colorways. Rio de la Plata hadn't really impressed me with the texture of their worsted or their colorways. So, I had never really thought of purchasing them for any worsted projects. Now, today I am at the LYS (don't even think it, I can't believe that I had ANY reason to be there - but I did so there!) looking for sock yarn to make my pal her Ravenclaw socks (blue and silver or bronze seem to not be in my color repertoire) and I came across THIS:

I thought to myself "Self, THAT is the perfect blue for Ravenclaw socks!" So, I grabbed it and upon closer inspection of the tag, I noted that it was from Rio de la Plata.

"Huh?" I thought to myself. It MUST be scratchy & blotchy. I felt it. It was soft. I looked the color over. It's a "semi-solid" but doesn't have any glaring areas of stark white anywhere to be found. I was intrigued. Then the shop owner noticed what I had in my hand and said "I just got that in. I'm knitting these out of one of the multi-colors." Then she proceeds to show me a pair of embossed leaves socks she is working on in a great moss, palish orange, mint and cream colorway. PERFECT for embossed leaves!

I asked if I could feel the sock. She agreed and I felt it. It was soft. It was sturdy. It was. . . . .GOOD! So, I now have the blue sock yarn and I think I know what pattern I am going to make but I need to find a corresponding silver or bronze sock yarn. Sigh. I wanted to stay away from that and really wanted to try to do a variegated or self patterning colorway since she got a pair with stripes and alternate heels in the Hogwarts Sock Swap #1

but I couldn't resist this yarn. I think there might yet be ANOTHER sock yarn for me to obsess over. God help me (uh, help us all - wait until you see this stuff you guys).

So, the question that now stands before me and therefore YOU, how should I do these so that they aren't the same as her first pair? Here are my thoughts. . . .

#1) Use bronze instead of silver (book colors vs. movie colors)

#2) Attempt (notice I say attempt) to do a lace sock. sigh. I should write her now and tell her that I am going to be late already if I take this option.

#3) I don't know of any other options. . . . .


So, HELP?????!!!!!?????

OMG!!!!!!!!! I loved it!

Don't worry - no spoilers here:



I just finished HP and the Deathly Hallows! I can't believe all that just happened. The story weaved by Rowling is amazing. Looking back at the whole series, it's amazing how things from book 1 matter (and come up) in the final book. It's an incredible book and although it took me longer to read than it took others - it was the quickest reading of any book EVER for me. EVER!

What do we all read now?

It's about time don't you think???

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BTW, I'm locking myself away for the rest of the day with Harry. I worked yesterday and I didn't get to spend as much time with him as I had wanted to.

I'm so excited!

Yeah, I got my Hogwarts Sock Swap package today - just in time to see the movie tomorrow! Did I tell you all that I am seeing it in IMAX and that the last 30 minutes are in 3D? It was worth waiting until tomorrow for me. . . . anyhow here are my lovelies. . . . .

Here are the detailed pictures:

Sandy did a great job matching them up, don't you think? Well, she did a great job overall. I LOVE everything in my package. Here are some more goodies:










I REALLY can't wait until tomorrow (and of course Friday) now. I am so excited! Thanks again to Sandy for a great package and Rebecca for a fab swap!