Today’s Post is brought to you by the word “AND”

You Guys Make Me Happy

Thank you for all your sweet comments on my anniversary post. I hate pictures of me but after many attempts, I managed to take that one picture that I didn’t find offensive.

What I neglected to say in that post is how much I have come to love this blog. More accurately, how much I have come to love the online knitting (and more) community and the people I have “met” here. I know without a doubt that my knitting skills and ambition and passion have all been greatly enriched but even more, my life has been enriched and I value and appreciate the friends I have found here. Ya’ll are sweet and kind and funny and bring such joy and so many smiles to my life. Thank you for that and thank you for continuing to visit me here and share your thoughts and comments. And for sharing your lives with me through your blogs.


I am Officially Cautiously Optimistic

I went to the ankle doctor yesterday for my now-regular visit. Have I told ya’ll what a nice doctor I have? Nice as he is, though, I am looking forward to the day when I don’t have to see him anymore. Yesterday he said that he doesn’t see any substantial improvement (bummer) but I can’t do nothing forever (so true). He said that I can start putting a little weight on it for a few hours a day. While still using the crutches. And wearing the boot. This is good-ish news I think. I walked on it a little last night and it hurts some and feels pretty squirrelly but we will see. Like I said, cautiously optimistic…and working on refining my skills of perseverance. (Was that ok? The way I worked “perseverance” in there just so I could use the link to that picture?)


This is What I Was Put on The Earth To Do

I have decided to be honest with myself and actually make a list of my knitting plans/pipe dreams for the next two months or so. I have all of these ideas running around in my head and I need to clear some room up there so I am putting them down in writing instead.

Knitting-Related To Do Items:

1) Finish organizing the Grandmother Purl squares for Saturday’s Sew-Up (this includes deciding how many for each blanket and which squares go where.) Is there anyone else who would like to join me and Tami and Marissa in Pleasanton on Saturday for the Grandmother Purl finale?

2) Photograph squares that I haven’t already photographed.

3) Print pictures of photos of squares for the scrapbook

4) Work on the scrapbook for GMP (I have enlisted Lori’s help for this so I won’t have to do it all by myself.) And it is ok if this one doesn’t get done before Saturday but it does need to be done before Thanksgiving. (Speaking of Lori, Go take a look at Lori's Grandmother Purl square.)
Actual Knitting To Do Items:

1) Finish Mama’s Beach sweater. This sweater has been in progress for more than a year. It was started with every intention of being last year’s birthday present. Her birthday is October 27. I want to be able to give her this sweater for Christmas. (Yarn: Yes)

2) Mama’s Tahki Cotton Classic blanket/afghan/whatever you want to call it for Daddo’s ladder. Not imperative for Christmas. (Yarn: Yes. I think I have enough. I may need more though.)

3) Papaya Pima Cotton Silk Pillows in Cables in Relief Pattern (this was the pattern I used for Kim's ISE scarf) for Lori (not necessarily for Christmas but I want to get them done.) (Yarn: Yes)

4) Socks. I want to knit socks. I have sock yarn and needles. While socks are not at the top of the priority list, I may get a wild hair and knit the pink Cascade Fixation yarn into the pattern that Lori got me with it. If it happens, these would be for Whitney’s Christmas stocking. (Yarn: Yes)

5) In a perfect world, I would knit socks for my father for Christmas, too. As we are well aware, this is not a perfect world. Acknowledging my utter lack of sock knitting experience, it isn’t hard to predict how this one will go. (Yarn: Yes)

6) Sophie purse for my mother-in-law (Yarn: No)

7) One (1) lamb for an undisclosed purpose (Yarn: Yes) – needs to be complete before Dec. 1, preferably before Thanksgiving.

8) Niece #4's silk bookmark. It is almost done already. It is my current knitting-on-the-go project so it should be done in the next few days. (Yarn: Yes)

Lambs for Christmas stockings

9) Carrie: Grey with Black, Off-white with Black, Off-white with off-white (Yarn: Yes, Yes I think & Yes.) I am determined to make the first two without fail. The third one might get nixed.
10) One (1) black and brown lamb for Mama (Yarn: No)
11) One (1) lamb for Niece #4, Black with gray (Yarn: No)
12) One (1) lamb for Niece #3, off-white with black (Yarn: Yes) DONE

I included Niece #3's lamb just so I would have something to mark off the list. Sometimes I have to play these mental games with myself.

That's pretty much it. There is maybe one other gift that is going to need to be added to this list. We will see. If ya'll start taking bets on how much of this I will actually accomplish, please don't tell me. I prefer to maintain my Ignorance is Bliss status.


P.S. I have found a new place on the internet where I could spend endless hours looking around and laughing. (Maybe you already guessed that from the links above.) If you run out of knitting blogs to read or other things to while away your online hours, you should go visit Sam at Exploding Dog.