Long Weekend

Happy belated thanksgiving to all in the States. We hosted again (2nd year running!) and it went pretty flawlessly. We had both sets of parents, brothers, my grandmother, uncle & partner for a total of 12 - I think that's just right. Everyone brings stuff, and we took care of the turkey / potatoes (my brother mashed 'em perfectly) / stuffing / gravy - and even a lot of that is shortcuts. :) It's all good. I am in much favor (worship?) of Omaha Steaks turkey and Alton Brown's method. Juicy, perfect and delicious combination!

Week before last, Betsy and I went to a sale at Farmhouse Yarns (read more here) - we each stuffed a bag - I got 19 skeins! I'm thinking they'll be good for mittens (I'm in the knit mitt kit swap), scarves, and flower facecloths for holiday gifts with some fun soap (like these Biggs and Featherbelle - I love them!). You can also see in the picture 2 skeins of malabrigo (little lovely) that I couldn't stop touching...


And how excited was I to come home on Wednesday and find an installment from Scout's Indie Swag Club - love the colorway and the notecards from Glamscience.
There's a really great picture here.

And I thought I was successful in my LimeNViolet KAL - I got through the second sock:



Only to find out that I don't know where I lost track of paying attention, because sock #2 is too short for my foot!! It's only good as a dachshund nose warmer. Groan. I don't want to undo it to try and fix it. I'm tossing my hands up on this one.

Break Time

Here's what you do:

1. Open your music library
2. Set settings to "Shuffle"
3. Press play
4. For each entry, type the song that's playing
5. For new entry, press the next/forward button

opening credits: "Stupid Girls" Pink ~ ok, sets the tone

waking up: "I wanna be sedated" The Ramones ~ again, true to life

first day at school: "Your Eyes" (RENT, Broadway cast) ~it's one of those movies

falling in love: "In a big country" Big Country ~this one creeps me out a bit

breaking up: "Skullcrusher Mountain" Jonathan Coulton ~excellent

prom: "Down to Earth" Barenaked Ladies ~proms don't have to make sense, that's why they are fun

life's okay: "Being for the Benefit of Mr.Kite" Beatles ~suitable

mental breakdown: "Some Fantastic" Barenaked Ladies ~mellow breakdown, eh?

driving: "Can't Help Falling in love" UB40 ~good singalong

flashback: "Piece of my heart" Janis Joplin ~it works

getting back together: "Send me on my way" Rusted Root ~not really a "together" song now is it?

wedding: "Rollin' (Urban Assault Vehicle)" Limp Bizkit ~I love it. My bridal party walked in to "Big Pimpin". We walked in to "Rock the Casbah". First song was "Let's get it started" - it fits. one of my favorites.

birth of child: "Goodbye my lover" James Blunt ~so so sad....

final battle: "Another Spin" Barenaked Ladies ~ok

funeral song: "Peace on Earth" U2 ~appropriate

end credits: "If You're Gonna" Natasha Bedingfield ~meh

Groan.

Photos to come tomorrow, along with links.
Went to a kick-ass yarn sale this weekend with Betsy. I think I ended up with 19 or 21 skeins in my stuff-a-bag. Went to my favorite yarn shop and treated myself to malabrigo that I couldn't stop touching - planning a "my so called scarf". Got a button.
Today dragged. It's report card time. I'm stressed. It's a short week so the kids will be bonkers. I cast off tonight for my LimeNViolet KAL socks. Double groan. You'll just have to wait for the pictures to see what a doofus I am.

WIPs Photos

So, for norovember here's how that felted bag is coming along:


I've been working on these two scarves:






The top one is for a guy (possibly cousin, dad or brother) using Misti Alpaca bulky - it's so wonderfully squishy and warm. The botton is Ellyn Cooper Caribe Isle yarn, in a herringbone lace-ish pattern that came with the yarn purchase.

Here's what I've got on the skinny scarf so far:










I think perhaps that I may have missed part of the pattern, or just knit too tight? As it's a little wonky in the middle as the two bottom photos show - I may just plod on and keep this for me, as I don't relish the idea of ripping out and redoing the 400 stitch cast-on. I'm using the Classic Elite Premiere yarn and it's a little tough on my hands to cast on.

Here's a great picture of Jackson that sums up how I feel today (Rar, it's monday)

Proud

Last summer, when we got Jackson, we got a lot of toys and puppy things. We especially liked the Petstages brand. Well, I took photos and wrote them a letter and now, over a year later, he's their featured pet! I'm so proud :)

And fedex pulled up today - they also sent us two little toys :)

So, writing a letter brings good things - Fat cat toys will be hearing from me next!

Knit Mitt Kit Swap Questions / Answers

What are your favorite colors? blue, green, purple
Are you a new mitt knitter? Sorta - I've made fingerless gloves, wrist warmers, and broad street (convertable mittens, from knitty.com) - but haven't made mittens yet.

How long have you been knitting mittens? About 4 years now

Do you prefer solid or multicolored yarn? I like both - I used to be big with the multicolored, but my tastes seem to be swinging back towards solids

What fibers do you prefer in mitten yarn? Something warm and soft - keep the wind+wet out!

Where do you usually knit mittens? At home

How do you usually carry/store small projects? I have a series of bags / pouches

What are your favorite mitten patterns? I don't know yet...

What are your favorite mitten knitting techniques? I suppose if I could do it in the round on two circulars, that would win!

What new techniques would you like to try? Fair Isle (I'm scared of it!) Thrummed.

What are your favorite needles for knitting mittens? Bamboo, it's good for the planet!

What are some of your favorite yarns? Blue Sky Alpaca, alpaca alpaca alpaca

What yarn do you totally covet? Lobster Pot yarn

Any pattern you would love to make if money and time were no object? The "Touch Me" scarf

Favorite kind of needles (brand, materials, straights or circs, etc)? circular, bamboo

If you were a specific kind of yarn, which brand and kind of yarn would you be? Fun, traditional with a twist

Do you have a favorite candy or mail-able snack? jelly beans / mike & Ikes

What’s your favorite animal? Dog (I have a dachshund) and rainforest frogs and owls

Would you prefer super warm mittens or something more like fingerless mitts?
That's a hard question. I am all for the warmth, but probably would use fingerless mitts more often

If you were a color what color would you be? a shade of blue-purple-green-grey

What is your most inspiring image, flower, or object in nature? A sunflower close up - I love the repeating pattern

Do you have a wishlist? Yes, on amazon

Anything else you’d like to share with the group today? I am intrigued and challenged by this and look forward to playing along!!

Recent Swaps

As part of the Boo-ty Swap, I sent to Christine and received from Ananga - lookie here:

There's veggie booty snacks (which I've been wanting to try!!), a gorgeous photo album (perfect for the new photos I've been taking with my new camera!), a needlecase (I so so so needed one of these - it's gorgeous!) and seasonally orange yarn (I'm thinking I'll make Jackson a sweater!). So much fun!!


And I also played in Knitty's Spooky SP. I sent to Jessica and received from Ceallach, check it out:




There's Solar Dyed Yarn in "Irish Eyes" (stunning, now I'm pouring over possible patterns!), stamps, halloween doodahs, soaps and a needle case (which I so so so needed - I've got a lot of needles that need homes!) Thank you very much!!

November Calendar

This is for Deb - you know, it's funny - I had just received 2 calendars in the mail for 2007 - one from Kraft Food & Family Magazine and the other from US Holocaust Memorial Museum... but we'll save those for next year, ok? Here's the November page that hangs in Jackson's room. Yes, his room. He stays in there during the day when we're both at work.

Wish List

This is a neat contest from Archie McPhee - you post your wish list and then could win $200 or $100 worth of the stuff you want! So, here's what I yearn for and adore:
1. Pirate bandages
2. Brain gelatin mold
3. Dogs on tv
4. Sushi Rug
5. Pirate Dome Lunchbox
6. Giant Pencil
7. How to Keep Your Husband Apron
8. Sad Weiner gum
9. Super Genius gum
10. Tickles Tapeworm shirt
11. Parasite Pals Lunch Box
12. Sushi shower curtain

Today I dislike my job

I've mentioned before that I'm a teacher. This week, in much due to the sugar rush, there's been more stress than usual. Our school is very small. We really don't have substitutes. I was asked to use my prep periods tomorrow to cover two classes of Music. While I was annoyed at first, it really isn't too bad a thing - I can help and cover. Tonight I got a phone call from the head teacher of my team. There's been a death in her family, so she'll be late / possibly not in tomorrow. The english teacher is also going to be out tomorrow. So that makes me the "senior" in charge. I'm starting to stress in advance. Ugh. And in helping to cover, I'm sure to loose any "free" time - I'll be lucky to sneak in a potty break.

I wish I was in a cubicle, 9-5 kinda job. This be everywhere, help everyone, do it all 24 / 7 isn't really working for me.

Oh, someone left a comment asking why some of my kids don't celebrate Halloween - they are Jehovah's Witness or Zionist(?, maybe 7th Day Adventist?) - they tell me it's the Devil's birthday.