Retreat!

What is there to say? So much happened, it was wonderful. The classes were awesome. I took Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's Knitting with Speed and Efficiency.. (did you know she can knit at 88 stitches per minute? And the fastest knitter in the world at 112? I'm so inadequate at about 20 odd stitches per minutes..) as well as Stefanie Japel's Fitting Your Knits (lots of handy tips, plus I have all my measurements.. apparently when measured accurately I'm an hourglass.. and she has the cutest baby!) and a class on designing shawls with Amy Singer. I would have loved to have taken a class with Cookie or Nancy, but with only 3 classes and five teachers it's hard to pick!

There was lots of wine and food, and loads of wonderful people. It was great meeting new people, and hanging with old friends.

I was amused by how many comments I overheard from people. "This must be a yarn convention.." in reference to our table of yarn and books to buy. "What are all these people doing here? Why are they all knitting?" as we waited for the bus to pick us up to head home.

I learned lots, and had lots of fun. I even got about four inches done on my Green Gables top! I think I should knit on it some more and then try it on to see if I need to add more before putting the stitches on scrap yarn for the sleeves. I think I might do that soon.

I have a few pictures, not many though. I guess I felt a bit shy.. what with all the big names around!

I loved this. My present to myself.

Retreat planning..

I just spent several hours going through my stash and figuring out which yarns to take.

A ball of Rowan Aran, some Lorna's Laces worsted leftover from my beret (for swatches for some class), some sock yarn (Arucania and Dream In Color) since a couple of the shawl classes ask for fingering weight.. That should be good for the classes. Or should I bring more than a couple balls of worsted? Like say.. a couple or three for the all day class (at least) and a couple for the class I hope to get into on Saturday. They don't specify how much (the lace classes say 50 g and 600-800 yd in the list of what to bring). Maybe I should overpack. Just in case. I'm already overpacking my notions. I think all my straights and DPNs have made their way into the pile of what to bring, plus my whole Knit Picks interchangable circulars and my stitch markers (and I have an urge to go buy more el cheapo Wal-mart ones just to be sure)..

Then what to bring with to work on!?

I've settled on my shawl and a scarf, bringing the stuff for the pair of convertible gloves I plan to make Dad for Christmas (may as well get started and they would mostly be mindless knitting.. prefect for breaks or while drinking..) and I pondered bringing sock yarn to.. well, make socks. I have a couple pairs started so I'll bring one of them.. but I ordered the sock yarn specially dyed for the retreat and I betcha anything I'll be tempted to start that, so I guess I'll leave the socks I already have going at home. Four projects is enough right?

I'm also thinking of bringing my spindle. I tried to spin the last couple of days and I am woefully bad, as I never practiced after my classes ended. It's been awhile since I tried to spin.

Plus I'll need my swimsuit and my yoga stuff, and of course my clothes (layers, and probably winter boots because it's supposed to start SNOWING tomorrow night) and toiletries, mittens and hat, knit socks, pjs, my clock, my laptop (guess I don't really need that, depending how full the bag looks that might just stay home), my camera and lots of batteries (I have a two gig card in it.. that should be plenty, I didn't even use all of that for a week in Florida so I should have plenty of space on the empty one).

Oh, and a bottle of wine and the opener. Should I maybe bring two? Naw.. unless I share that should be good.. plus it's not like there won't be a cash bar in the evening for the spin in/pj party.

Ooooo so excited!

I'm a bad bad blogger..

I haven't gotten much knitting done either. I ran into a snag with my first Year of Lace kit, and had to rip back and then pick up stitches. I did that finally tonight. At some point in this I had started the fall kit, and started yet another pair of socks. I haven't gotten much past the toes on them though, and I'll give you a hint as to why.




Yup, we went to Disney World.

It was an awesome trip. Lots of sun and Mickey and friends, and a good time had by all. Now I am back and just chilling, getting ready for winter, so the knitting has been slipping out of the woodwork slowly. I don't think I'm doing Christmas knitting this year beyond some crocheted finger puppets since Velociraptor is doing puppet shows with just his fingers.. (is that a hint of some kind??)

And upcoming is the retreat! The Yarn Harlot class is titled Knitting for Speed and Efficiency maybe that's a good thing I chose her class then.. I might get more done! ;)

Not much else happening, just working around as usual.

Something to fill space..

1. Favorite ethnic food.-
Vietnamese

2. Something you’ve always wanted to do.-
Go on a cruise

3. Favorite color-
Purple

4. Something you collect-
Uh, *looks around* bags.. books.. yarn..

5. Something you do to relax-
Read, knit, watch tv/movies, play online

6. Bloggers I am going to tag-
Whoever wants to!


1. Are you truly politically correct? Be honest. Not really.
2. Will you ever streak in public during rush hour? Uhm.. no.
3. Would you ever do something sexual in public (more than 20 people around)? Done and done.
4. Do you ever not have good table manners? Sometimes. I try to set a good example though.
5. Do you ever fantasize about a public sexual act? Describe. Uhm.. no. Not really. There is the thrill of being caught, but no not in public public.

Dear Internets;

I have not disappeared, I have been really busy.

Work is busy during the summer, and spare time is taken up by the usual mundane stuff and the odd day trip to Sylvan lake.

Not a lot of knitting happening, some but not much. Maybe once things cool down at work.

Hope you all are having fun. I'm hitting the lake again this weekend.

Nobody knittin' around here..

Okay, that's not quite true. I've been steadily working on my Montego Bay scarf and I may even finish it this month. I've also gotten past the increases on my son's sweater and need to work on that.

But what's been distracting me?

Well I got my driver's license.. and I just got a car. It's new-to-me, and I got it set up tonight to drive.. so I took her out for a spin.

It was wonderful, but tomorrow morning I get to face rush hour traffic for the first time. At least it's Glenmore Trail, not the Deerfoot..

Now I just need to make a few CD's and we're golden!

ETA: Wow, a month to the day of getting my license I am able to drive. Huh, it didn't quite click with me that it was.

It's raining, it's pouring..

It certainly is.

I haven't done much knitting, mainly because I was busy practicing driving obsessively in anticipation of today.

Why?

I took my driving test. I've been looking forward to this day for a whooooole year (the waiting period here, then in two years I have to take another test because of the system) but for now..

I am now allowed to drive on my own!

Now I just need to buy a car. I'm more than likely going to snag a lovely dark purple 97 Pontiac Sunfire. Probably by the end of next week, or the week following. Then no more bus riding for me! (Unless of course something happens, but I won't think of it or else I'll freak out).

Of course it rained cats and dogs while I took the test, but I did fine. It was a lot less harder than I thought it would be.

Tomorrow I'm going to pop into the yarn store. It's been forever since I've gone and I want to say hi and see what's happening.

So it's almost June..

Wow, how time flies.

Things have been busy, so I haven't gotten much done and as always I have too much on the needles. So I need to focus, work on one or two projects and get them done and then focus on the next.

Cardigan for Arwen is not going to happen I think. How long has it been languishing? Besides, I lost about two inches around since I started it (maybe more) and though I like loose clothes I don't want too loose.

I'm working on Green Gable, I had ripped it out and restarted because of adjustment for gauge. When I get to the end of the lacey portion, I'll try it on and see if I need to keep going a little or not before I start the next part.

No pictures right now, maybe later, but I think I shall put in a movie and knit some. If I don't fall asleep that is, it's been a busy week.

Almost time for May long..

and my weekend looks to be insane.

My plans include:

1. Helping a friend move (she just bought a house with her fiance and they get possession tomorrow!)


2. Go to the zoo (we have passes, and though it will be a madhouse due to the nice weather and the long weekend the passes mean we can walk past the huge lineup of people who pay and go wander wherever we want. Sadly, the cownose rays are dying and they don't know why. We got to see them when they first arrived, but before anyone could put their hands in the tank. I wonder if someone had something on their hands that harmed them as we were told when it was opened to touching people would be required to wash their hands before they put them in the water. I'd almost bet that people weren't doing so.)


3. Go to Fort Calgary on Victoria day and check out the party for the 135th anniversary of the NWMP (aka the Mounties)


4. Visit with Dad, since he will be down on Monday in the afternoon.

Do you see any knitting time in there? I didn't think so. I'll maybe find some time as I'm about ready to turn the heel on my fruit loops and it's my current bus project.

I'll also be taking my camera with me to go to the zoo and various places (as long as I remember..) so maybe I'll have some nice photos to share.

Happy Mother's Day!

Pancakes with a cranberry mango topping and maple sausage

Made this for myself and my Mom, now we're just going to relax and watch some DVDs, a nice lazy Sunday.

Spring?

I had thought spring had arrived.

I bought pansies and marigolds, I overseeded my lawn, I even washed the side of my house down (amazing how siding gets really dirty and all it does is stay there vertically in the weather.. you'd think it would be a little less dirty..).

That was Sunday, today is this..



Which despite having lots of things on the needles makes me want to grab a ball of my Rowan Cashsoft and make it into a pair of fingerless gloves (maybe another pair of Fetching, it's simple and cute as well as cozy). Do you think I can knit up a pair quick enough to be ready for tomorrow?

We can see..

In yarn news, I have been drooling over the look of this stuff ever since I saw someone showing it to someone else at stitch n bitch one night. I should wander over to the store that carries it here and check it out, I've never been there anyway though I know where it is. Maybe once the weather warms up again I will simply because it's a little hike from the nearest train station.

A finished object!

So I do finish stuff on occasion.

See?



They aren't that tall on the leg but I don't mind because I like my socks that way (I turn them down when I buy my favourite commercial socks, about the only time I pull them up is if it's especially cold or snowy and today? It's not!)

So now I need to decide what to work on now. Actually, I've been carrying my Montego Bay scarf with me. I noticed that it looks like I messed up in my counts a few times, but I don't mind. It looks fine, and I am NOT pulling out all that work when I am closer to the end than the beginning.

Following the leader..

Because I feel like it

1. Pancakes or waffles? With or without toppings? You're making me choose? I have a love affair with all things sweet and breakfasty. Give me crepes, pancakes, waffles, french toast, pannekukua (I probably spelled it wrong, basically a Dutch recipe for a baked pancake like thing).. with syrup or jam or fruit.. I'm happy.
2. They say, “Way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” What is the way to your heart? Uhm.. equal parts free space, cuddling and sex..
3. Have you ever gone to a topless/clothing optional beach? Nope.
4. What song reminds you of a previous relationship (for good or bad)? Hmm.. I always think of Jeremy when I listen to Follow Me by Uncle Kracker. I had a huge crush on him and we went on a few dates but things didn't work out. I still think of him though, and that song always seemed to be on the radio at work when we hung out.
5. When, where and with who was your best kiss ever? Ohh.. hmm.. Jeremy again. First serious makeout session. I'll remember it forever.
Bonus (as in optional): Does anyone not currently in a relationship with you have pictures or you or your body part(s) that you would prefer that other people not see? Yes.

Actual knitting content:

I am finally finishing up my Saturday socks. I only have a couple inches to go and if I knit like I did today they should be done tomorrow night.

I also knit an iPod sock (though I don't have an ipod) because my mp3 player was looking a titch battered.

So I am getting stuff finished.

I'm dreaming of a white spring..

Not really.

It sucks, things were starting to warm up, I was seeing spot of green.. heck I even had a couple weeds in my front yard and now?

For anyone reading who does not live in this area (probably very few of you I think) this is the forecast:



This of course makes it a good weekend to stay cozy inside and knit, which I don't mind too much because I have been horribly sick with a nasty head cold this past week and I planned to stick in anyway to be sure I am rid of it.

I may even have to knit myself mittens because I seem to have lost all my gloves since the last time we had snow. It's horrible, but at least they were cheap ones I bought. Maybe I should make mittens with a string for myself..

What's on the needles.. well Montego Bay is coming along. I work at it in odd times and it'll be done soonish (I think). The socks have all gone by the wayside, as has Mystic Waters, because I got stuck on the first Year of Lace kit. It's a lovely kit and I am finding it isn't a bad bus knitting project because it is repetitious enough that I can do most of the row by rote. It's turning out lovely so far, and I've completed one body rep and started on the second.



I also picked up some wonderful cotton/bamboo yarn at Make1. It just struck me and I drove Amy and Sandra crazy for a little bit before I finally took off with it and the Green Gables pattern (a little after the store closed.. sorry ladies, I try not to do that!)

So I knit a swatch and it came out close so I figured I'd try it and see how it works though this yarn is a lighter weight than what the pattern calls for. This is what I've done so far:



I love how it is knitting up, I love the feel of it and I think the pattern will be perfect to wear around the office at my new position. But I think it is a bit too small. The gauge is definitely off from my swatch, and yet when I hold up what I've done so far it looks like it will fit. So I am thinking of putting it on string and pulling over my head to see if what little I have will work as a start and adjust as I go, or will I have to frog it and cast on more. I already did the math, I should measure myself again though just to be sure, try on what I have and we'll see. I'll probably have to get Amy and Sandra to order in more of the colour I bought, I bought an extra of a slightly darker shade because my math came out to 11 balls that the pattern called for but since I am tall and this knits on a smaller gauge I'll probably need extra.

Thank goodness this is a top down right? I've never done top down before but then I've yet to complete a top of any kind for myself.

I'm planning to do a quickie project this weekend also. My MP3 player needs a cozy, before it gets too battered in my purse (it's not an ipod, I've had MP3 players for about 5 years now but I don't want an Apple one).

I'm also going to the retreat, because I really really want to. It'll be fun and yay the Yarn Harlot is coming! Besides I need a small vacation of my own. Otherwise, I wouldn't get one.

I'd better go pop in Pride and Prejudice (watching for the first time) and grab the yarn and needles for the cozy I want to make!

Where has March gone?

It's nearly over that's for sure. Plus Easter just leapt out at us from nowhere, and I went to visit family on spur of the moment (Dad called the week before said you wanna come visit? I said sure, so we hopped on a bus after work on Thursday and got a ride back Sunday, I didn't get home to my own bed until late).

It was a good weekend, lots of fun and crazy busy seeing most of that side of the family, plus making a crazy decision (well, my Dad's idea it was) that we go to West Edmonton Mall.

On a Saturday.

During a long weekend.

Anyone who has been there knows how crazy this is. It was packed and we didn't do much of anything except have lunch, wade through the crowds, and stand in line (for bumper boats, which are new since I last went there.. same with seeing the seal, they had dolphins still the last time I went.. shows how often I go there).

Not much knitting content at the moment, because I haven't done much but I got my Year of Lace kit! I went and picked it up today and it looks sooo pretty, but no spoilers cuz some people don't have theirs yet and anyway I wanted to try and finish another project before I start this one. Just trying to keep things even and not too much to overwhelm me, plus I just want some nice stuff for spring.

The garter toes are coming along okay but I may have to rip out the heel as I tried them on and realized it wasn't deep enough. Should've followed the pattern but I was sorta winging it after reading through the pattern once (I do that sometimes with simpler stuff.. gets me in trouble or turns out awesome).

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

Happy St Patrick’s Day!

Yes, today is officially St Patrick’s day (the church will rearrange it if its usual date falls during Holy Week as it does this year).

I have been buuusy, but not much knitting happening. What has been happening?

Well, practicing driving for one (a couple more months and I can take the driver’s test!) as well as various spring cleaning things and organizing (slowly). I still can’t get things for my shelves to hold them up, because the guy at the hardware store lied to my Mom about them having them and ordering them in. So I may just go buy a new shelf for my yarn and stuff because it is all over the place right now (I had taken out my old system in anticipation of being able to easily and quickly put up shelves.. so now yarn is scattered in bins around my room, along with the books and such.. this was weeks ago) and keep trying to find what I need to set up my old shelves and use them in the basement for organizing there. The old shelves are the sort meant for use in a garage or basement anyway.

Ah well, it’s a Saturday and I’ll figure this stuff out.

Actual knitting content, the finished socks for my best friend:



Which have already been appropriated by her mother, so I’ll have to make another pair in a bit. 

The Wasonga sock yarn project:



Garter Toes, which is knitting up nicely. It looks skinny, but be assured that it stretches, and since my feet are size 10W that’s very good. Knitting toe up like this is easier than I thought too, I was able to start with magic loop instead of doing what I had done with the previous pair top down (start on DPNs and switch to magic loop). You probably can do it top down without doing what I did, but it seems haaaaaard. ;)

I’ve also started the knit Easter eggs, or one of them.. I hope to get two done (maybe) before next Sunday, because I wanted to put them in Velociraptor’s basket. It sorta snuck up on me it seems.
And just for kicks, a meme grabbed from someone on my blog list (I forget who now)

Things I love more than a throat punch today.
Coffee and porridge for breakfast (good porridge, the kind that sticks to your innards, made with steel cut oats)
New books at the library
Hugs from my son
Stuff to keep me busy
A mostly sunny day

How I'm spending my Saturday..

Well, since I had to be up and out to do stuff this morning, when I came home after lunch I immediately changed into my lounging clothes and go to work on these socks.



I'm probably meeting a friend for lunch tomorrow, and these are her (late) birthday present. At least I'm on the toes so I just need to finish the decreases and kitchener it together.

While I'm working on those I am watching a movie, see?



One of my favourites (bonus because it is based on Taming of the Shrew.. also a favourite of mine!) but this watching is bittersweet. It's the first time I've watched anything with Heath Ledger in it since he died, so seeing him running around as Patrick in the stands of the high school and sing to Kat on the soccer field.. so lively and bright. It's just sad is all.

Maybe I should have picked a different movie. Since it's over I think I will put in something else. Much Ado About Nothing or As You Like It perhaps. I'm on a bit of a Shakespreare kick today, and have just reminded myself I wanted to rent She's The Man.

Wait.. I have Shakespeare in Love somewhere around here..

I wish I had more time..

Time to do all the projects I wanted to do, not to mention the money to buy them.

Stuff like this (found at Lime&Violet's blog).

But I have at least two shawl projects I want to complete and I have signed up for the year of lace, plus I have all the socks and bags and other patterns I want to do and the items already on the needles.. so I'll just sit here and sigh longingly.

PS. The last post wasn't finishing for comments, but thank you. ;) I'm not much of a commenter myself, though I read a fair bit.

Maybe this weekend I'll get some pictures up. Somewhere when I have the time, got plans!

Y'know..

Blogger isn't bad but one thing that annoys me crazily is that I when I get a comment on a post I can't email back to them, or post a reply easily to a person. I'm spoiled by livejournal I guess. Does Wordpress do something like that? I can install it on my hosting, which I need to do something with anyway since I am paying for it.

It's scary though, blogger is easy peasy. (And I claim to be a geek sometimes *snorts*)

But to answer Raining Sheep's question (and one I am sure all of you who read my blog* have) is what is that yarn from my last post?

That would be the Wasonga sock yarn from Curious Creek in colourway Birches in Norway and bought from the lovely ladies at Make1.

I did start the sock, but I need to finish other socks so I haven't gotten very far. And anyway, I had spinning class last night. I'm enjoying it, and a wheel is tempting but I am sticking to a spindle because a spinning wheel is definitely out of the budget this year, and a spindle is more likely to get used not stuck in a corner and forgotten (like my poor sewing machine most of the year).

No pictures again. I need to work more on my shawl, and finish those socks, but for now I think I'll have a mug of tea and go to bed. Getting back to my usual sleeping pattern after it being whacked by illness is always a treat.

*I can't be the only one who is surprised when she gets comments, right? I'm not very amusing or witty like the people I read and I often feel like I'm shouting into the wind off a mountaintop. So who would read MY blog?

On my feet..

Amazing what one day, a long sleep and a dose of cold meds will do for you.

I finally feel.. normal. Or not normal, you know how you feel when you're finally well after being sick? How the world is your oyster and you have SO MUCH ENERGY and you are WELL so you can take on the WORLD!?

Then reality sinks in, the laundry and the dishes haven't been done properly for a week (the only plus side is there isn't many because you hadn't cooked much in a week either) and you need to stock up on groceries and shovel out the kleenex.. but for a couple hours this afternoon I was high on LIFE.

Then I am confronted by this:



This was taken with my cell, so the quality sucks but I think I get my point across. Ugh. This is Calgary in the midst of a warm spell during winter (+11 today! I don't think there was a Chinook though, usually I freeze anyway cuz of the wind.. I dunno, I'm not a weather person). It looks like blah. Brown and nothing.. you didn't see the grey everywhere too (from the dirt that had coated the grass after spraying up in the form of slush).

So I did what any knitter would naturally do. I bought this:



Green, yellow, joyous green! I was surfing around at work and spotted it on the blog.. so I got curious and looked and just could NOT help myself. So now I have to finish a pair of socks tonight/on the commute/at lunch (for my BFF's birthday tomorrow night!!!) before I will allow myself to cast on a pair of garter toes in glorious spring-like GREEN.

Don't remind me of all the OTHER projects I have on the go, and planned. I think the order of the day is green.

And for those who missed it, a slightly blurry attempt at night photography of a lunar eclipse by moi:





PS. Can you tell I'm just a TAD bit hyper now that I feel better?

Is it over yet?

Winter that is, and the flu.

This week I have been laid low by the flu, or a cold, or something. I'm not sure what really, because I didn't go to the doctor (okay, maybe I should have but if I can't take time off work to be sick, I can't take time off work to go to the doctor and I only just found out there is a walk-in clinic that is open late hours and even *deep breath* on the weekend..).

So my long weekend was spent huddled in bed, doing nothing but sleep, with short trips to the bathroom, the kitchen (for tea, toast, and more cough syrup). I didn't do any knitting whatsoever. In fact, I haven't done any for a bit, and I am sitting at home now when I should be on my way to spinning class because I am just now recovering (it hit me Thursday, really hit me Friday and then proceeded to keep hitting me over the head with a frying pan until today) and do NOT want to pass this around to any of the other ladies if it is still contagious.

So many projects I want to work on, but one cough and I'll lose a stitch on my lace and plain socks don't appeal right now so I'm being quite lazy and just recovering. I haven't even been following the blogosphere that much! My computer was beginning to feel deprived of company..

At least it seems to be warming up today, a little chinook to get the spring feeling buzzing before dropping us back into cold for a bit more.

But for those of you on Ravelry.. anyone else having issues? I can log in fine from Opera and IE but when I try to go to the site from Firefox I get an error message.. weird.

ETA: I just deleted cookies, it works again. No weirder than when the clock was off.. by 6 years. Took a bit to figure out what was wrong because the time was about right. Little Velociraptor got into what he shouldn't.

One last winter taking the bus..

That's what I keep telling myself anyway, if I can manage to get some refresher and pass the test in June (which is when I'll be allowed to even attempt the test..) and even afford to buy an old Honda Accord (which is what my brother tells me is a good car to get second hand, he had one, and he's the car dude).

Okay, I'd have been stuck in traffic for ages even in my own vehicle but I'd at least be able to pick my own route and not stop every block or so. The only blessing is that it is winter and the.. well, the odor of hard working man who hasn't bathed in a week was minimized. I just had to deal with the assault of the remnants of cigarettes and marijuana as well as the liberal splash of some cologne that makes my sinusitis worse and my stomach turn over.

With how bad I've been feeling I didn't even pick up the needles on the bus today, instead I just closed my eyes and listened to my audiobook.

The worst of it is, I didn't go to charity knit night. I went home, had a huge mug of tea and a big bowl of stew that had been simmering for a bit and changed into my big fluffy blue robe and I'm grateful that I don't have to be out in this tonight.

I'll see about making a hat or something though, like I had intended.

Happy New Year!

Chinese new year that is. It's time for the year of the Rat. I'm not sure what they are saying it will be like for Dog's (of which I am one) but I hope it's supposed to be good..

In knitting news, I am turning the heel on my second Saturday sock amd I finally finished clue one of Secret of the Stole II. I was working on Mystic Waters but I'll come back to that later since I put it aside. Feels good to be actually moving on things though. I'll get pictures later, I didn't take any yet and it's getting to be bedtime so I shouldn't be scrambling to take pictures. :p

I spotted this over at Lime and Violet blog (like everyone else I suppose) but I am thinking of making them. I just need to pop over to the dollar store and then the craft section of wally-world for some appropriate elastic. They'd come in handy since I knit socks on the bus.

But I am off to sleep..

Hope everyone has a good new year!

Cold..

Yeah, we all know it's cold out. Which is why I stayed in and didn't go to knitting tonight. I also got a ride home and decided not to turn it down.

Been knitting on my socks more, cuz my knit socks keep my toes warmer in this but I only have one pair done so far. I'm slow, and I'm lazy. :p

I have yet to start spinning and already I drool over this spindle. And the spinning wheels! So pretty.. but, let me learn to spin first and see how I do.

I had intended to rearrange my knitting storage section of my room, but I found I am missing the pegs to put up the gorm shelves in my room. Just the pegs to hold the shelf up, and I can't get to Ikea to see if I can get some from them.. so now I don't know what to do. Hit up the Home Depot I suppose, see if there is something I can rig up so I have selves for my baskets of yarn, my magazine rack, and my cases of needles and assorted..things.. this would also solve the problem of some items on my bedroom floor. I can get them off the floor, and onto the lower shelves.

Ah well, methinks I shall curl up under my down quilt with a mug of tea and my sock and put Batman Begins on my computer. That's a cozy way to spend the night in.

Playing around..

got a little bored today, and sick of the half finished look of the blog because the template I used wasn't quite working. So I fiddled with it and came up with this.

Nice and streamlined, it's just a basic blogger template, but I made the image in photoshop (it was a ball of yarn I'd taken a picture of when fiddling with camera settings.. it turned out all blurry and the colour was weird but I thought it looked cool and figured I could use it as a blog header.. some very minor photoshopping and tada!)

Looks a lot better than the old one did.

Last night was a bust..

between the Roughnecks losing to the Stealth 13-12 and finding no less than 3 errors in my mystic waters shawl, I've ripped it out and started again but I was finding the rhythm of it, so I think it will go smoother now.

Stupid refs. We had one goal where they said we were in the crease but the replay showed he wasn't, at all (unfortunately refs don't consult the replay when deciding calls). And then the final goal happened just as the buzzer for the end of the fourth period went, or milleseconds before. You could hear the crowd jump up and start screaming for joy when the ref made the sign that it didn't count and shoved us into overtime where the stealth broke the 12-12 tie and won. Blah. (Lacrosse btw, for those who have no clue what I'm talking about lol).

I'm also tempted to try the Secret of the Stole II and I signed up for year of lace with what remained of my birthday money. This is certainly a year of lace for me, and it's barely started!

Socks are going slowly, but steadily since I carry them with me to work and am taking a new route that I for certain get a seat on. Only one transfer now, instead of two. I was forced to by the buses, because they changed the schedule which made my usual bus more likely to be packed and zip right by me (very annoying, and makes me late) but it's working for the best. Even if I have to be up earlier than before, which is pretty darn early for a night owl.

I might even get more knitting done at home now, the movie store up the road is going out of business (lease was up, the building was sold and going to be turned into parking for new condos) so I picked up a number of movies on the cheap.

Thoughts

All this talk of plans for what to do with knitting in 2008, I think mine is simple enough. Complete a sweater for myself.

I think I may rip out the Cardigan for Arwen, I long ago became disenchanted with it and no longer am sure of what I am doing or if I am even doing it okay.

So I am thinking of frogging and starting instead the Central Park Hoodie. I think I like it a little better. I dunno.

Or maybe I'll just let it sit for a bit and start working on Jazz. I don't know, but I'll have to commit one way or another soon if I want to make this happen.

Otherwise I'll just work on my Mystic Waters shawl for now (I just finished part A! 8 more to go..)