Happy New Year

Yeah, so I'm running about 2 weeks behind on everything. We just mailed out the last of the Christmas presents this morning. And yes, that's more than two weeks behind, but what can I say? We're blaming it all on Zoe this year. And probably for the next couple years as well.

She's cute enough to deflect irritation.

Still haven't gotten back into the writing groove - probably has something to do with my complete lack of free time. I have more free time while at work than I do when home - writing this from work now, as a matter of fact.

I did get a bit of knitting done in the last month - 3 kid-sized hats - two for my sitter's daughters and one for Aunt Lily (who is now 2 years old - yay for 2nd wife syndrome). I do have intentions of knitting another hat for Zoe, and maybe a couple more pairs of pants, since she's just about outgrown the three I did in November. My little hobbit is getting long - definitely gets that from her father's side of the family.

Okay - dull post, I know. I'm just trying to get in the habit of posting at all. I'll work on being interesting later. Ha.

I think I might just love my elected official now

Or at least, I love his staff.

24 hours after my call to Bernie Sanders's Burlington office, I got a call back. The staffer spoke to the National Passport Agency people and they expedited my passport and are sending it Fed Ex. I even have a tracking number.

I'm still anxious, but not vomitously so.

And on the upside, my nervous energy allowed me to finish this next project in only 8 days.





It still needs to have a crochet edging added to the short sides, and then, of course, it needs to be blocked, but I'm pretty amazed at how quickly this went.

Guesswhat

I found a part time job for the summer.

No really. I shock myself.

I saw a sign in the window of a new store that's opening in the nearby metropolis (ha ha) where I do my grocery shopping. Experienced Knitter Wanted for Part Time Help. No job description, just a phone number.

And I called.

And the store owner called me back.

And I went in to see her with a bag full of my recent knitting (which I will eventually post pictures of, but some things are intended as gifts to people who read this so they will have to wait).

And she loved my work.

And even though she was primarily looking for someone to open the store every day (which I can't do), she wants me to be "an independent contractor" for the store, helping with knit samples, filling in for her or the other employee, and even teaching classes this summer.

How cool is that?

Pretty cool.

Lazy Girl's Post

This is the blanket I made for my FIL and his new wife as a combined wedding present/xmas gift. That's a full-sized bed in the picture. I will never make a garter stitch blanket that big again. No no no.



I am working on a post about raging koalas... but that will have to wait until after I figure out what we're doing in class this afternoon... sigh.

Lacey Goodness

I started this on my birthday (March 6th). (Someday I will even figure out how to get my pictures in focus...)






That's one pattern repeat. I'm now done with three pattern repeats (as in, it is now about 3 times as long). The pattern is from Winter 2006 Interweave Knits magazine. The recommended yarn is a fingering weight merino. I'm using laceweight (finer than fingering) 100% alpaca. I'm really loving the way it is turning out. I'll post more pictures when I'm done.

Back to the grind

On the last day of my 30th year...

I really need to be prepping for class, but I didn't want to leave Grandma's obit at the top of the page any longer.

So, here's the easy way out:

This is the hat I made for K2's birthday last month. My own pattern.



These are the matching mittens.



And here's what happens after grading 30 english comp papers:

What I've been doing instead of blogging

Now, hopefully, I'll get this picture thing right the first try... here goes.

This is the belated xmas/valentine's present for my G'ma-in-law:



Note my teeny tiny desk and the resulting mess. Also note the brand new MacBook! Now, knitting lace is kind of nifty because it looks all soft and squishy (and far smaller than desired) when fresh off the needles. To change this, you have to soak it and then stretch it flat and pin it in the desired position like this:



I have more pictures to post, but I'll stop momentarily to test the process.

Things that are wrong with me

No, I'm not asking for suggestions, thanks.

I already have a few specifics in mind.

One, my hand! Owie! All the knitting has left my right hand and arm sore. Either an inflamed muscle or tendon or something, I'm thinking. The pain goes right from the base of my ring and pinky fingers to the underside of my elbow. Massage only makes it worse, but frozen cranberries (we're out of peas) feel really really good. In any case, I'm forcing myself to take a knitting hiatus until the pain stops. (Or mostly stops... whatever.)

Second, Farscape. People whose opinions I respect say this is a great show. We've just finished the 4th episode and are still waiting for the greatness to appear. Does the beginning just suck? Does it get better? Should I keep watching, or is this all there is?

Here's what underwhelms me:

It's a neat concept and the visual delivery is excellent.

But the writing! Ack! I mean, I've had beatings that were more subtle. If I want to be smacked around by moralizing lessons delivered with the finesse of a falling piano, I would go to church. Jay and I were both sitting there, rolling our eyes, yelling "We GET IT ALREADY" at the TV. Not a good sign. I don't know whether it's the writing, or the editing that's so poor, but we agreed that the episodes could be trimmed by about 20% without losing any meaning.

And LORD, I can tell the creators were muppeteers, because anything involving the muppet characters is extremely well done. Anything involving live actors clunks. Not that there aren't good lines, but they get lost in the dragging pace of delivery. It's as if they decided, if expressing an idea once is good, then expressing it four times would be even better.

So.

Any fans out there have opinions on whether the series resolves these problems as it progresses, or should we give up now and move on?

Happy Holiday (or not) of Choice

Jay and I are celebrating this year by not going anywhere for the holidays. We're staying home, sleeping in, not driving or flying or waiting in lines. Yay! What a great xmas present to ourselves, I say.

I've been finishing up the holiday knitting - done 2 hats, 1 lace scarf, 1 pair gloves, three ski bands - just one more hat to finish up, one set of gloves that needs the bezillion ends woven in, and I will be ready to ship out the packages. What, you say? By the time I send them it will already be AFTER xmas? Well, of course, silly. I'm sending NEW YEARS presents. Duh. (They might get there by then...)

I also have to finish the tail end of a queen-sized afghan that I've been working on since September, but I've decided that we'll give that to the recipients when we see them Jan 5th or so...

But after THAT is done? No knitting for anyone outside the house (ie: anyone not me or Jay) until Spring. Yeah baby. 'Bout time I got to keep some of the fruits of my labor. (I have a few things, but I realized that most of the knitting I've done in the last year has made its way out the door. Usually before I remember to take a picture of it, too.)

First on the in-house list? Another hat for Jay - something warmer and washable than the one he has now. Second? 1 chunky scarf for me, 1 lacy scarf for me. Finish pair of socks started in November...

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend (even if that just means an extra day off work for you)!