doan wanna go to work, wanna knit!!!

Okay, I have to go to work.  Work sucks right now, but that's okay.  
Actually it doesn't suck, there are just numerous challenges that need to be met.
And I have started Fantine, it's a French Girl pattern I picked up at Stitch DC.  I went to the Chevy Chase location, which I think I like better than the Cap Hill location, even though it is very tiny.  I am now kinda stuck on the short row shaping thing.  Never done it and I think I am going to have to break down and go to a shop for advice.  Oh, well.  It's a beautiful color though, found a wonderful wine shade.  Also, I think I am going to make it in several colors, to use up that yarn I bought on sale.  Stash reduction, yea!!!!!  Plus it knits quick, bulky yarn on size 17 needles.  I would be finished by now, except for the short row shaping.

Happy Birthday Daddy

 Today you would have been 72.  
I still miss you.  
I hear a song and think of you.  I hear that laugh of yours.  I hear you sing.  I hear you give that funny call you used to give when you heard a song you really liked, or when you just felt really good.  When I hear Moody's Mood, I can see you grab Mom and begin to sing as you danced her around the kitchen, while she shrieked with laughter.
I think of you when I watch a movie, and I wonder what you would say about it.  I think of you when I watch your favorite movies, and I remember lying across your bed as you sat in your favorite chair, and I remember the conversations, and the silence of sharing. 
I remember the hugs.  I remember the games.  
I remember the things you taught me and the fun we had in the teaching.  The darkroom you built.  The pictures we took.  The time shared developing them.  The 3 hour drives in search of good ice cream.  The time you took me to see a horror movie and I had nightmares for weeks. The fun of the drive-in, where we watched so many movies and we all laughed, or screamed, and just enjoyed.  How every outing was an adventure.  How you made the little things special.  You showed us the world and encouraged us to think.  
You taught me to enjoy things, how often I now forget to do that.  
For these things I thank you.
I love you.  
And I miss you.
Happy Birthday.

*sigh*

I admit it, I'm just a big ole kid.  I want one, I want it now!!!!  I want a wii!!!  *sigh* But unfortunately, I don't know where to find one.  And I am not paying $400 to $900 for a system that lists for only $250!  Those people are nuts.  I guess I'll just save my money until January, when they ship out more.  I hate waiting *sigh*

The pictures wouldn't come up before, but here they are now!!

 

to open, or not to open..........what, are you crazy!!!!

I recieved an email from my sp just yesterday, informing me that she had sent me 
a package.  She said it would arrive next week.  
Well, wonder of wonders the post office put me out of my misery and send it early!  
Yea!!!!!!

I looked at it for a moment and then opened it.  I admired the pretty Christmas wrap and 
thought  "I should probably wait for Christmas to open this".  I opened the card and
read that the theme for my gifts was "hand made".  At that point I thought "Wait?  Forget that!" and I ripped into each small pack.  

I admired the lavender bubble bath, and thought thankful thoughts about Sabine for writting 
the english translation on the back.  Way cool!  Can't wait to get into that one.  I loooooove lavender.

I gleefully felt the bigger pack and after ripping it open (very neatly, my father would be proud) 
donned my beautiful new wrist warmers.  Love the sparkle and the color!  Kitty loves them too!

I love the delicate and beautiful hand made stitch markers.  How did she know I was thinking of 
making some?  The cat liked them too.  They are now safely put away, out of kitty reach.

My favorite was the book.  Didn't take exact pictures of it, but I will.  She made me a knitting journal, complete with patterns, advice, and important notes on yarn, needles, sizing and yarn estimates.  She put a lot of work into it, and I am almost hesitant to use it, it's so wonderful!  But use it I shall, and I will think of her everytime.  She even included one of her own sock patterns!!!!  I am definitely going to make those!  And use my new stitch markers to keep track!
There is also a hat pattern and clapotis, with room for notes!!  I make copies of patterns and then loose them.  This is the perfect little book to put in the patterns I use and my notes.  Wonderful *sigh*

Sabine, thank you sooooo much!  It's a wonderful gift and you totally rock!!!!!!
 

day 1 - Peppermint Tea

Today I started my Advent Calendar, the one I recieved from my sp.  
Yes, I know it's late, but I claim illness fogged my brain.  It was sitting right next to my
computer, but it didn't register that the first was time to start! I've never done an Advent
event before.  This just puts me in the spirit of the holiday in a different way.  With working in retail, I tend to focus on the whole sales aspect of it, not the meditative thankful aspects of it.
It's nice to be reminded to sit back and take a bit of a break.  
So I just opened it and welcomed the aroma of peppermint.  Yummm.
Thanks Sabine! 

On the needles:
Well, the red and charcoal bag is done, but for the felting.  Now that means I am 6 knitted 
projects, and one check (niece needs cash for school trip to Canada, hope she knows this means
no present, or that this is her present) down, just 4 more to go.  I think the Balloon Bag will be
too big for the younger niece, so I am making her the larger of these.  It should be just small enough for a gameboy, a couple of games and a lip balm.  That should be perfect.  so far it's not
too big and I should be able to finish it today.  Way cool!  Pics to follow.  I still need to find little patterns for things like caps and beanies.  Just two more projects and my goal of finishing
knitted gifts for the bulk of the family will be reached!
Yea!!!!

WoooHooooo!

 Hey, I won the contest!!!!!!  I actually won something!  Shelby emailed me that I won the drawing for her contest.  Don't know what it is yet, can't wait to see.

10 inches and growing!!!!

ya know, somehow that doesn't sound right :-)
but here in all it's growing glory is Imani's purse.


And here is one for one of the little girls.



The other is a deeper purple.

Now I must say thanks to my sp who sent me the cutest get well card.  I really appreciated it
and it made me feel so much better!  Thanks Sabine!  She actually sent me several cards.  I really like them all!

And because I needed a picture of something relaxing, this is my eldest sister (the one we call the Little General) with my nephew, learning to juggle at the Maryland Renaissance Festival.  What is it about kids and jackets?  My nephew refuses to wear one and I usually have to carry and extra along 'cause I know he will eventually get cold *sigh*  Fortunately on this occassion I had a sweatshirt his sister had left at my house (and what is it about kids not understanding the phrase "get all your things together before your mother gets here to pick you up"?)