Crunch Time

Well, I am now at that time that in college was refered to as "crunch time". Last Christmas I experienced this to some degree but since it was my first holiday knitting season and no one really took my knitting seriously expectations were low to non-existant. Never-the-less, I managed to make 6 sweaters, a poncho, and at least a dozen scarves of various designs.

Wow, looking at that last paragraph I am wondering how I did that! Although I do have to say, the sweaters were all simple drop shoulder designs knit with 2 strands of Lion brand Wool-ease on size 13 needles (I think). They were simple stripe designs and I was so amazingly naive that I just flew through them.

This year I have finished:

Baby blanket for baby Bender (he was born 10/10 but they are now out of the country until after the new year...so it sorta counts for Christmas but turns out didn't quite need to be so rushed...God knows I didn't have it done close to his birthday...oh, well.)

Baby bib (does a project count if it takes 2 hours or less to do start to finish?)

3 dish clothes (another one is about 1/2 done and probably will only take a couple of hours to finish)

3 hats (I already gave away 2 others I had done when my Mom and Niece showed interest...note to self, must remember to resist the urge to give finished objects away so close to Christmas!)

Sweater vest I designed and knit in a day for Carter (see note to self above and do NOT give anything else to Carter before Christmas!)

5 pairs of socks

I still have 2 1/2 socks to knit in 3 days.

Then, there is the hoodie for Carter that I know he wants to get for Christmas. I think if I finish it before he goes back to school after New Years he should be happy. I try to make whatever he asks since he is the only one to really request anything specific. I kind of like being able to accomodate a garment request with my own original designs.

I have given up all thoughts of even attempting to finish the Harlot Snow Drop Shawl since I am maybe half way done. I have likewise given up on the Buzzy scarf/shawl.

I did manage to make one of the hats I had designed in my head. I have also made one matching mitten. Now, I just need to make a mate for the mitten and finish the scarf that was the inspiration.

I will take pictures of everything before I gift them away.....

Happy Holidays to all. May your life be filled with soft yarn, quick needles, and error free knitting. Most importantly, may you and your find yourselves surrounded by loving family and friends and may you be healthy and safe.

If you don't normally read the Yarn Harlot, stop by and give it a look. Then, consider making a donation to Doctors Without Borders. You can use this link...








Peace.

Fond Memories

Alex P. Kitten 3/17/1989--3/16/2006

Daisy & Henson 1/25/1995--12/11/2006

Too many wonderful memories to begin (at least not today).

We put Alex down a day before her 17th birthday this past March. I miss her everyday. And, call me crazy but I see her spirit (or ghost, or whatever you want to call it) regularly. I know she is still here with us.

Henson and Daisy were a pair. They came into this world together and left together. Had we not had Henson, we probably would have put Daisy out of her pain a while ago. Henson would have died shortly after of a broken heart. So, Daisy Mae held on for him and finally it was time to say, "Goodbye" to both of them.

I don't miss the hair, the poop, or the lingering stench when one of them would pass gas. I don't miss the barking or having to let Henson out and in and out and in and (well, you get the idea). I certainly don't miss having to pick Daisy's hind end up to help her in the house or helping her stand up.

But I miss the looks of complete love and trust that were always there for the last 11 years and 9 months. This is the first time in my life (besides the dorm rooms at college) when I have not had at least one pet in my life. There is a huge hole in my life right now...

Wicked knitting

Today was quite a day.

Last night Addison (my DH...I have decided that names are just so much easier than nicknames and initials) came upstairs, looked at me with a strange expression, and asked, "What side is your appendix on again?".

At which moment the thoughts "Oh, shit!", "Now what?!" and "Boy, it must really be bad whatever it is if he is saying ANYTHING about it at all" were all competing for space in my frontal lobe. To which I replied, "Right, why?" and watched as his face sort of fell a little as he told me about the sometimes excruciating pain he was experiencing off and on on his LEFT side.

Hun. Hun? Hun!

So, long story short...Addison, Max (the teenager) and I spent 6 hours in the ER of our local hospital today to find out that he does not have kidney stones but does indeed have Diverticulitus. Carter (the middle Monkey) and Jake (the Midget) spent the day with my parents while they took my niece, Katie, shopping for a birthday present at some tack shop a half an hour away.

By the time we all got home, I got something sorta resembling dinner in Carter and Jake (thankfully Mom and Dad took them out for luch before their excursion), took Jake with me to the pharmacy and grocery stores and got home with everything it was after 8:00! I really did nothing all day and am exhausted!

Although, I did graft the toe of a sock closed in the ER waiting room, start the second sock at 1:00 this afternoon in the hospital coffee shop while Max got lunch and I got a snack, and had the whole leg done and was just starting the heel flap when they gave us final instructions at 5:00 and set him free. So, all was not wasted. In fact, now that I think about it that may have been the longest uninterupted knitting I have done in a while...

But anyway, it looks like Ad is going to be OK. This is the first time he has had this. I know enough from my RN mom (who has suffered from and had surgery to fix this herself) that even if he makes a complete recovery this will probably come back to bite him in the ass (or belly) again at somepoint in the future. As for now, he was started on two antibiotics and is upstairs in bed dozing as a result of some codine. Now if I can just get some sleep (or at least get some more work done on this sock. Or that sock. Or the other sock over there that I got a little wierd on the pattern with. Then, there's that shawl. And the hoodie I was going to knit a sleeve of today.....

No rest for the wicked they say. No rest for a cumpulsive knitter either...expecially before the holidays. Wow, so I guess if you are a wicked knitter you can pretty much forget it. Boy, am I screwed.