But wait! There's more!

You should say that entry title in dramatic infomercial style!
Number 9:

The Blackberry Ridge Cranberry mitten. ~sigh~ there's so much wrong with this. I WANT to love this mitten. But it has it's problems. THe biggest problem is that it's too small. Too narrow to be exact. I could try to block it out. Like the koigu latvians.
But is it worth the risk?
What to do...what to do..
Okay, I'm going to take this out and do over on bigger needles.
That decision was not an easy one. But truly, I wouldn't wear it as it is now.
Needle rescued: US3
I also need to write to blackberry ridge and buy the pattern. Again. I lost the thumb part and it needs a thumb, let's be honest.
Number 10:

Inishmore! This is a KEEPER! Alas, it has it's problems too. Why do you think that it has been cast aside? Maybe ONE of you will remember that there was a funky cable twist and I vowed to fix it. Fix it, I tried. I was not successful. See?

Look to the right of the wonderful stitch marker. You can see 3 lines that round a corner and supposed to head neatly up towards the right. They are just a mess. It is a jumble of stitches. And THIS IS THE FIX! That's the embarrassing part of this. I figure I have 2 choices here. Ignore it. Or rip it back.
I am not going to make that decision right now. Soon.
Procrastination. It's a girl's best friend.
Number 11:

Socks for my father. They were supposed to be a Christmas gift, 2003. Then they were going to be a Valentine's gift. Then a father's day gift. Then a birthday gift. Then Christmas 2004.
Yeah, well, how's that working for me?
So, let's just say, possibly Christmas 2005? Seems possible to me.
These stay.
Is that all? Could that be it? I think so. I will dig a bit further.
Tally:
Projects saved: 7
Projects Sacrificed: 4
Needles gained: Priceless
That's it! The great clean out has now ended.
Phew! I'm pooped! I'd better learn to knit in my sleep to get all these rescued projects done!
Go ahead, Read something!
Are you still reading?
I hope so.
I have been obsessed with a book I bought at BJ's on Saturday. I can't keep my eyes off of it. It is called The Memory of Running by Ron McLarty. I know this will be one of those books that I will be sad to see end.

Dead Projects Walking*

* Norma's idea. Gotta give credit where credit is due.
There's more, don't worry. It's a tad embarrassing, but it must be done.

This is a Phildar something or other. I believe I coined it the Beach Towel sweater. Or something. I hate it. And I don't hate it. I love the style, the stripes, the brightness of the color. I hate the scritchy-ness of the yarn, the colors, when put next to my skin makes me look, um, well, NOT GOOD. Orange and Pink are my friends. But somehow, not THIS orange and pink.
This project is gone. Bye Bye Beach towel bingo! Needle rescued? Addi Turbo US 7.
What number are we on now?
Number 5:

These are the September Transitions socks from Blackberry Ridge. I love these. I wonder why I stopped knitting them? The yarn is a wonderful blend of silk and wool, they are a true delight. What was I thinking? Casting these aside seems a sin.
These stay.
Needle size: US3
I thought about continuing these and gifting them to my Sockapalooza pal as she expressed a fondness of the color green. The veto happened in the recesses of my mind.
Number 6:

Oh boy! This is the Elle bag. Or was supposed to be anyway. Classic Elite's Inca Alpaca. ~sigh~ I love this yarn. I love this bag. But something happened along the way. Some kind of learning disability or something. It has reared it's ugly head in the Charlotte's we and the flower basket shawl too. If the pattern says, "Continue in pattern, increasing along the way", my mind shuts down. I don't know what it is about that simple phrase. Maybe I need to chart it out ahead of time. This has been on of my biggest frustrations in knitting that I have run up against. I do not want to get rid of this project. I want to conquer it. Arise Victorious in the end.
It stays. For now.
Needle size: Addi turbos US6.
Hey Brooks, are you still out there?
Number 7:

This has to be one of my favorite items of all time. Yes, I know, it doesn't make ANY sense that it sits untouched. Time. There's not enough.
This is the reversible scarf in the wonderful, scrumpdillyicious Brooks Farm yarn. (Hey, that's the second time I have used the word BROOKS today! :)
Love is not a strong enough word for this scarf. It stays. Again, a happy neck will ensue.
Needle size: addi turbo US5.
No wonder I can't find any needles when starting something!
Number 8:

Oh My Stars. What was I thinking when I did not finish these right away?
These are the Glorious Gloves made in Richesse Et Soie
Glorious is an understatement. I intended to have these done for my Rhinebeck trip last October. I have no recollection of why I did not finish them. The only excuse I can offer is that I am crazy. Certifiably looney. Not of my right mind.
This one STAYS.
Needle size: US 2. This project also has a bunch of beautiful stitch markers that are works of art. Kim has a knack with these!
It's almost getting embarrassing, isn't it? Kind of fun though.
Join me? Jane is.

Spring Cleaning!

The time has come, my friends. It's time to peer into the depths of this

To find the Stragglers. The forgotten. The cast aside.
Yes, it's time to dig deep and find the projects that are sitting unfinished and make a decision to Finish them Or Not!
My mother would apply her favorite saying here.
ahem.
It's time to shit or get off the pot.
So. I do. Get off the pot, that is.
This may take a couple of days, that's how bad it is.
First up. I gathered all the projects still on needles that haven't seen the light of day in quite a while. Some, I even forgot existed. How bad is that?
Number 1:

This is a Smooch/U Can 2 Shell (from ChicKnits) in Rowan all season's cotton. Addi Turbo size 6 being tied up in this stalled project.
Now, let's be honest. What was I thinking making this? It's striped. It's sleeveless. I do not wear sleeveless as a rule. I love sleeveless, but I just don't do it. But don't you love the edging? Is that really a reason to make a tank that I will never wear? Just because I can?
Hmm. Is there anyone I could make it for as a gift? DO I even want to?
No.
This one is going. No more smooch.
Bye Bye smooch!
Number 2:
This is tougher than I thought. Judge and Jury all at once.

This is debbie bliss Baby Cashmerino. A baby sweater from the Baby Cashmerino book, addi turbo size US3. This one I do not even have to think about. I hate it. I love the yarn. But I hate the brown and white. It was not a good decision. Perhaps I will buy another color and make one that's a bit more pastel.
Bye Bye Baby Cashmerino stripes!
My needle collection is now getting bigger.
One more today, okay?
Number 3:

Oh, this yarn! It is heaven! It's lorna's laces Angel in colorway seaside. You have never felt yarn this soft. I mean it. I'm not just willy nilly saying that. If you live near me, come over and feel this yarn. ;) KIDDING. Please don't. Okay some of you can. Addi turbo size US3. This is to be a scarf in 2 x 2 rib.
This stays. I want this scarf. Badly. My neck will thank me for this decision. I love how the yarn is doing something funky in the center of the scarf.
Tally:
2 projects taken off needles
1 saved
More tomorrow!

Duck!

The last sleeve for the Buffalo brownski everyday cardigan has now begun! (said with dramtic flourish!)
Oh, goody, goody!
BUT. I'm thinking that I want a different collar than the other. No need for all the EC's to look the same, is there? So, I will be perusing the photos of the knitting blogs, looking for inspiration. Any suggestions?
Isn't he a hoot?

At Kohl's. Needless to say, I wanted the sheep, but they were sold out in store!

Yarn, wonderful Yarn!

I promise, it's okay to come in. No lecture series today. Only yarny happiness!
A while back I received a prize from the Knitters Without Borders, how lucky am I?
I have to show you this beautiful handspun.

Of course, the day that I got it I had to knit some with it. But what?
Silly question, don't you think?

I think that these mittens will be perfect for this yarn. I have not knit anymore on them yet as I have to concentrate on other things first. What a joy homespun yarn is to work with. The color, the feel, knowing that someone spun it brings joy beyond belief. I have a good feeling about this yarn!
Spring is welcomed here!
With the forecast of another snowstorm, everyone is getting antsy for spring, even Fig. When the sidewalk finally thawed out, he found the only available particles of dirt had himself a good roll.

Got dirt? (Click for big, dirt covered Fig)

Monday, whether we are ready or not!

I did it! I knit all day yesterday. I knit until I felt like stopping. I actually did not feel like knitting any more! Imagine!
Although I am longing to finish the everyday cardigan, I cast it aside for the day and worked exclusively on the sockapalooza sock. I don't want to be a last minute nelly on this one.

Mountain colors yarn: Pattern is Friday Harbor from Knitting on the Road. Sock lounging in snow.
One more word:
I promise not to get up on a soap box too much around here, but I have to go back a bit. What Derek did yesterday was pretty stupid. He'll tell you himself. But drinking on college campuses is rampant. Some high schools too. Derek was not much of a drinker. How do I know? He told me. And yes, I believe him. Because that's the kind of relationship we have.
He got involved in a drinking game, which are a dangerous thing. They cause kids to drink way more than they think they are in a short amount of time. And this can lead to danger.
Once a kid gets into trouble, it is common for them to be abandoned. The others, after all, don't want to get in trouble. This is the worst thing to do. They need help, not to be left alone. Alcohol poisoning is a real and present danger for our young people. Too many kids die a needless death after a night of "fun and games".
So, please talk to your kids about the dangers of alcohol. The dangers of drinking and driving, the danger of alcoholism, the danger of poor judgement, but most of all, the danger of dying.
Check out this site for some great information. Samantha Spady's parents got the same call I did, but theirs had a tragic outcome.
If Derek called again from the ER, I will be there. Always. Of course, next time we will drive to an alcohol treatment program on the way home.
And I will be there, if needed!
Oh geez, now I've gone all preachy.
:)
This concludes the lecture series.
hee!
And while I was outside with the sock, this is what I saw UP.

What would you do? *

* title stolen from Annie's post of the other day!

If, in the corners of your imagination, you get a call at 3:30 am saying that your son is in the Emergency Room of the hospital closest to his college, what do you imagine yourself doing?
~keeping calm, getting the facts
~getting hysterical
or
~sleeping through the call.
I always imagined myself as the keeping calm type. I've done it before through motherhood crises. I'm rather good at them. I save the falling apart until later. When the time has past.
There was a call in my home at 3:30 am from the ER.
What did I do?
I SLEPT THROUGH THE CALL.
We have a new phone system and I knew it would not ring upstairs. But I thought if the phone rang during the night, I would be able to hear it no matter what. I thought wrong.
I slept though it.
Until Andy announced around 8 am that there was a message on the phone.
And let me just take this opportunity to publicly state my objections against the privacy act. Hipaa, for those in the know. While I certainly see it's place in the medical field, what I know is that my son is in the ER 40 miles away from here and they won't tell me why. Not to mention the snowstorm going on.
Car accident?
Injury?
appendix?stroke?heartattack?suicide???? the list is endless, isn't it?
But this is a college student and the most obvious answer is drinking.
Yes, he got rip roaring drunk and fell down on his walk back to the dorm. Picked up by the police, given a ride in an ambulance to the ER, where he was IV'ed and watched over.
Poor baby.
Stupid ass.
Poor baby.
He's sleeping it off now.
I hope I can sleep it off too. Is there any IV I can take for the grey hair?

saturday. Clever title, no?

Knit picks Andean Treasure yarn. $3.79 a skein! UNDER 4 BUCKS! Be still my heart. They are seen here basking in the sunshine. Even though the sun feels good from the inside, it's not doing much for the outside! It's c-c-cold today!
I started using the green as you can probably see. Moss, it's called. And I'm finding it a bit splitty. But I have found alpaca to be such. So that was no surprise. It is soft and heavenly, the colors vibrant. I'll let you know how I like it when I knit it up.
Of course, I should not be starting anything new. I have enough to keep me busy. What is with that? Not very loyal to a project, am I?
Motherhood Psychiatry
Bethany has now safely landed in Berlin, where they will spend the weekend before making their way to Nuremberg for the rest of the trip. I have followed the status of her flights online. Obsessed? Sure. But since September 11th..
I don't think I need to say any more, do I?
But I do want to elaborate a bit about yesterday. I was a wreck. On the inside. Never would I show that to her. The last thing she needs is her mother falling apart. I may want to. But I won't. Motherhood has made me stronger than I ever thought possible.
Bethany has always suffered from what I have coined "trip anxiety" for lack of a better term. I do not need a doctor to diagnose her. I"m her mother, dammit. I know her better than anyone. Every time as a family we have gone on a vacation, she becomes teary eyed before going. It is the act of leaving that is hard for her. Not the going. Or the being there. Once she has left and gotten on the way, she is always fine. And I knew that this would be no different. But what is different now is that she is 16 years old and is able to acknowledge those feelings and intellectually know that they will go away. This helped her lots. We talked a lot beforehand on how she would start to feel nervous and that it would just be easier to stay home. Sure, It's always easier to stay home. But not always wiser.
So, she made it onto the plane, eyes welled with tears. But she did it. And I have never been more proud of her!
As she was leaving, Derek was coming home for the weekend. On Monday, Andy and I will truly be empty nesters for 2 weeks. What will we do with ourselves? Will we find things to say? Will we turn into the most boring people on earth?
I am heading back to bed for now. I am still feeling pretty crappy from this cold which is now a hacking cough. When I start coughing it feels like I'm trying to hack up my big toe. And believe me, it's not easy!

Trip to Germany begins today

Bethany is leaving today for a 2 week trip to Nuremburg, Germany.
If you are up for the praying thing, can you say a quick one for safe flights? And if you are not, send some good vibes up to the skies.
I am a wreck.
She is worse!

Tasha Bag, finished!

Tasha bag is finished and being used! I love love this bag. It makes me feel slightly hippie-ish. Oh, I'm sorry, are my roots showing? I technically was not a hippie, but a child growing up in the 60's and 70's can't help but adopt some of the fashion of the time.
What fashion, you might be remembering? Yeah, well, clogs and bell bottom jeans. Long straight hair parted in the middle. And long, floppy purses.
Peace out!
Close up anyone?

Did I mention the love? Yes, I believe I did.
Specifics:
Pattern can be found at knitty, designed by the wonderous Leigh! (Hi Leigh!)
Yarn: Rowan denim, colorway Memphis or Tennessee, I'm not certain now. Memory is fading quickly!
Love quotient: Off the chart!
This is a fun bag to knit. The rowan denim did not thrill me but I am more than thrilled at the outcome. If you look closely in the closeup picture, you can see some of the ends that are weaved in sprang loose a bit in it's final washing. I need to tend to that because it appears to have sprung a hole. I know better though.
Sneeze~
My head is still sick with a headcold. And I'll take even more, thank you Fate. Bethany is leaving on Friday for a 2 week trip to Germany and the last thing she needs is to get this nasty cold that Andy and I share. I have washed my hands so much they are raw. In classic motherly form, I will take on MORE cold and sickness just so my kid can go on a plane healthy and happy.
Hear that POWERS THAT BE? Bring it on! I can take it! I am a MOTHER.
Mitten winner!
There appears to be a winner of the koigu latvian mittens.
Pamela R. Come on down! Please leave a message here so I can email you.
So much excitement for one day. I may have to go lie down.

sick in the head

I am sick with a headcold today and this is all I want to do. Maybe Fig can go to work for me? And then make some dinner for the family? Possibly even knit some on the sockapalooza sock if he's so inclined?
Perhaps..
Thanks for your interest in the stripey fun baby sock. I have emailed the winner. (1 out of 3 wan't bad!). I'm glad that they will go to someone who will love them!
~sneezecoughblow~

Socks for baby

Baby socks in Regia something or other. They are currently unblocked, but will be soon.
I personally love how the stripes do not match. But that's probably no surprise to you. I long for non conformance on the sock thing. But I know that others are not the same. I am unsure that mother of the baby will appreciate clown colored socks that are not even closely related. I have seen a picture of this adorable baby girl and she was decked out in the prerequisite PINK. Head to toe. In each picture. So, I'm having second thoughts on the clowny socks.
And let me tell ya, my kids will not appreciate a sock for their big toe. These are small baby socks, remember.
So, what to do?
In the spirit of valentine's day, if you have a baby or a baby niece or nephew, or a baby neighbor or a 2 legged dog and you would like them to wear non matching handknit socks, please email me at sanhurl ~AT~ comcast.net. If there is more than one person interested I will put all the names in a hat and draw one. A baby sock contest, as it were.
I will choose a winner at Random by tomorrow morning. Get your name in tonight.

Personally, I love the socks.
And love is what it's all about, isn't it?

AS the Mitten blocks, the finale!

Every great or even mediocre show needs a grand finale. And here is this one.

This is the measurement of the koigu latvian mittens after blocking.
Oh, and before I forget:

Here's the 35 cents US that I owe on the bet. I'll pop it in the mail as soon as I can rustle up your address. Never let it be said that I welsh on a bet.
Anyone scratching their heads in wonder at this moment in time? The mitten is the exact same length as yesterday.
Now it's time for this little confession:
I. Am. An. Idiot!
The mittens did not need to grow in length. They needed to get a bit wider. So, in review, which way did I measure with the wonderous, beautiful ruler that everyone loves, which was a Christmas gift from a friend (she bought it at a craft fair, handpainted: go ahead! You can make one too!)? I measured the LENGTH. Not the needed width. I-D-I-O-T!
So, this proves NOTHING. Except that you will have to believe me when I say that they are much more comfortable now that they are wider. Not longer. I could not pull off longer and wider. There are some instances of not being able to have it all. Not many, but some.
So.
The blocking was a success.
I owe 35 cents.
I have a nice ruler.
Any questions?

Nice, wide, comfy mittens.
Who will win them?
Tomorrow I will actually show you some other knitting that's going on around here.

Progressive blog entry:

Today I am going to do something a bit different. I am going to start this entry this morning and continue on with my plan, adding to the entry along the way.
I know what you are thinking: "WHAT??"
FACT: I need to block the koigu estonian mitts. I have it on good authority that they will grow in size. Which is good as they are a bit small. In fact, I have an actual cash bet on it. 35 cents to be exact. That they will grow considerably. Koigu apparently has some kind of reputation. Though you did not hear it here.
So, check in later to see the results of this blocking extravaganza.
This is where we start. Mittens with ruler.

Can you see how long they are? Here's a closeup, just to keep things legal and all. 35 cents is on the line.

Please notice that I showed you the non-thumb side this time, which I had neglected to show the other day. Today you get the full frontal, so to speak. You get it all around here, what can I say?
Next Up:
Koigu Estonians get a bath. Stay tuned.
In the next installment of As the Mittens Block (Thanks, Abby!
Cue the bath scene:

What's a good story without a sexy bath scene?
My knit bath of choice is a good soak in Ivory snow, powder, thank you very much.
What's going on now:
Mittens are being stretched. A lot. Tugging and pulling. Gently? Well, you'd think. Not so much.
More later!
Later that day!

Mittens drying on towel. My impressions are forthcoming...

Koigu Estonian mitten

MSF mittens finished!

Pattern from Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia
Yarn: Koigu
needle size: 2US
I hope the person who wins them will love them as much as I do.
Here's a look at the cuff:

The solid color koigu has some variation in it which makes for some interesting shades. Can you see the muddy color in the cuff? It almost looks blurry. I love that.
View of a thumb:

The thumb method was new to me. I had previously done gusset thumbs. This thumb had you insert a yarn as a "book mark" so to speak. After getting over the trauma of losing one stitch, I now do not THUMB my nose at it.

Picture this!

Bye, bye Geekmobile!
A wonderful geek was at my home today and fixed the USB's. Please cheer loudly with me. I took this picture as he was driving away and I post it here. Just because I CAN.
sigh.
Life is good!
Look to this space soon for finished pictures of the MSF mittens!

Merci! Danke! Thank you! Thanks for your support!

My writing:
When I write for this here fangled thing called a blog, I write from my heart, from my sarcastic wit, from my life. Often from my imagination. But not so much from my emotions. That is what I did the other night. Fearing an eruption, I sat and wrote about my anger, fear, hurt. It poured out, cathartic in it's healing.
I don't often regret posting something, but I did almost immediately regret hitting the save button. I went to bed with an uneasy feeling that I had opened a can of worms that is perhaps best kept sealed.
Then something happened. I opened my email and message after message poured in from the most wonderful of people.
Let's just get it out in the open right now. You guys are the best! Thank you from the bottom of my injured little heart. Many of you took the time to share a personal story of your own. So many adults have persevered that kind of childhood.
But it is the HOPE that sustains us. To have risen beyond the alcoholism, to have built our lives around being stable, happy humans is beyond wonderful. It is easy to fall into the same rut our parents taught us. Easy to fall into the roles they have led us to believe is right. But something in us knew it wasn't right, even as children.
I thank the good knitter that I am a healthy, happy woman. I hope the same for you. Knowing we are not alone in this journey is a wonderful feeling, is it not?
So, again, Thank you dear reader. For being there during my time of darkness. I have thrown open the shades and the light is streaming in again.
Yeah, sure. What light? It's February in New England.
Okay, figurative light.
The best kind.
Today
Today at 2:30 there will be a geek in my computer chair, with his geeky little fingers in my computer. I wonder if he will have the capability to fix it on the spot or if he will torture me and make me wait some more.
Oh boy! I had better clean up this computer desk. It looks like a family of wolves live around here.
( I was going to go for the obvious "PIG" reference there, but at the last minute went for the wolf. Let's just say, it's messy.)
I kiss you now.
But don't expect that kissy crap everyday around here!
~hee!

Cheese with that whine?

I am not a complainer. Usually. But tonight is the exception. If you don't want to read about some self centered pity party, you'd best click on, my friend.
You've been warned!
To start this story, let's just say in short version form, my father is an alcoholic. His drunken phone calls are the last thing I ever want to deal with as an adult. I have been fairly good at avoiding the cocktail hour. It is fair to say that I have surrounded myself with everything my family was not. I do not moan about my childhood because every experience I had makes me the person that I am today. And I happen to like me and my life. Even if I could, I would change nothing in my past.
But I'm wondering at this point in my life when I get to be viewed as an adult by my parents. Will that ever happen? I am 43 years old and I have a mortgage and lots of bills that scream ADULT to me.
Then the phone rings and I am told a story of an imaginary insult to my father by my husband over 5 years ago that he is still stewing over during his binges. Every word that Andy has said to him since then has apparently been viewed with malice.
I am sickened.
And sick of it.
To treat me like an adult and called me to talk about it 5 years ago would have been great.
I will put this aggravation into my knitting and come out okay on the other side.
And give a couple of people around here a hug tonight.
Geek Update:
In really great computer news, the Geek mobile will be stopping at my house on Wednesday. I am hoping for success fixing the USB's.
Cross your fingers for me!

My hero , the Geek Squad!

Once again, I am left pictureless. Sure, I sound like a broken record (as my mother would have told me in an earlier life). I realized that the problem is not going to fix itself. So I hoofed it down to the local Best Buy and engaged a conversation with the nearest geek. I have hired one to come to my home and fix my computer. DAMMIT. I'm worth it!
That's right. You heard me. I hired a Geek to come to my home in a Geekmobile and fix my computer. He will be calling me in the next 48 hours to set up the appointment and I'm hoping that he will rush right over.
And at that blissful time, you will be treated to a photo extravaganza. I kid you not.
I have one finished item to show you but as you can see, I'm not telling you yet. It's not the mittens, although they are THIS CLOSE. Pretty soon they will be able to go 2 thumbs up. Now, of course, they are thumbless so that is impossible.
Was the Groundhog wrong?
Last week, Punxsatawny Phil saw his shadow, declaring more winter for us all. All he had to do, really is look at the calendar. He didn't have to go through all the trouble to get yanked out of his cozy hole, seeing his supposed shadow. Is this totally accurate when all the camera lights surround him?
But see his shadow he did. We hunkered down for more of the winter. Alas, yesterday was over 50F degrees! That's 10 C to you metric fans! Snow was melting, birds were chirping and the smell of the air was remincent of spring. Leaving my winter coat behind, I ventured out in my everyday cardigan. And I got TOO WARM. Be still my heart. I think the humungo snow banks even shrunk a foot or two. I might be able to see around a corner soon!
Super Sunday
Every sunday is Super. But today is the SuperBowl. A great time to go grocery shopping, by the way, is right at game time. Not one person around. It's kind of freaky, like a ghost town in which every tortilla bag and bottle of salsa has been ravaged from the store. A true salsa and chips holiday if ever there was one.
Go Patriots!
Go Geek Squad!
Go Spring!
It's all good!

Mitten proclamation!

The time has come:

I tend to put aside knitting mistakes and keep them until later. And by later, I mean a time when I'm well rested, in the mood to tackle it, nothing better to do, the stars and moon are in perfect alignment and destiny calls out my name.
In other words, I put it off.
I'm good at that.
I have done that with the koigu latvian mittens (which are actually estonian mittens, but I can't stop calling them latvian). This time, on mitten number 2, I knit WAY past the thumb area. WAY PAST. What was I thinking? Clearly I was not thinking, just knitting. So, in true-Sandy-form, I tossed them aside and put them out of my mind, knitting blissfully on Other Things.
This truly is not acceptable, though. So last night I set my mind to it. I made my own destiny and ripped out the offending rows (and there were a lot of them) and knit the thumb right where it's supposed to be. A perfect match with mitten number one, except for the dropped thumb stitch, which I did not replicate. Not yet anyway. The day is young, though.
And then I proclaimed, and maybe you heard it echo near you "THAT'S IT!", I proclaimed to any and all who would listen, which was Fig the cat in case you're wondering, "I will knit on no other until these mittens are done and on their way to their rightful winner of the Knitters Without Borders contest."
So I did. I ripped and knit it back to ground zero, so to speak. The starting point of the night was the ending point of the night. To the untrained knitting eye, it doesn't seem like progress, but to us knitters, we know better.
So, excuse me while I knit a mitten.

music meme: tagged by Gibknits!

This meme has been more work than a blog entry, that's for sure. It required thought and meditation and note taking throughout the day. I'm sure that some people at work might have thought that I was "taking notes" on them. I promise from now on to read other people's meme's with the respect they deserve.
1. Total amount of music files on your computer: Our computer has 3 seperate sections for each of our own use. My section has exactly zero music files. That's right! None! This meme should prove to be interesting, no?
2. The last CD you bought: This was a very hard one to answer. In fact, I have no answer. I bet it was a kid's CD. Probably Parachute Express or Raffi! If you have kids, I strongly recommend these. Especially Parachute Express. I still am disappointed that my kids don't want to go see their concerts anymore. A grown woman sitting alone at a Children's concert singing her lungs out would probably land me either in jail or in a mental ward.
Probably the more appropriate question would be: What music did a family member buy for me: Well, that's easy. The last CD was Clay Aiken's Christmas CD. The story goes that when Bethany told Andy that I would like this for Christmas, they went out shopping at a certain music store. When they did not find it on the shelf, Andy claims he was too embarassed to ask the clerk for it so they left the store and searched for others. This story cracks me up. And makes me appreciate the CD more. I have been forbidden to play it out loud. Headphones only. That's what I love. A supportive family!
3.What is the last song you listened to before reading this message: I think it was the new Green Day song. Boulevard? Is that the name? I really like that song.
4.Write down 5 songs that you listen to alot or mean a lot to you:
This is the one that took me the longest to figure out. I could list a bunch.
Here's a sampling:
Tears in Heaven, Eric Clapton: This was played at my friend's funeral and I think it is a beautiful song. And it reminds me of him.
It's my Life, Bon Jovi: I defy you to not stomp your feet and dance while this song is on. I must dance. And sing. Loud. To this song. And Bon Jovi? Well, he can sing to me anyday.
Pachelbel Canon in D: This song touches my soul. I cannot hear it enough. It is the song for all moods. Try it. You'll like it!
Poems, Prayers and Promises, John Denver: John Denver loved nature and the environment. Admirable to say the least. His voice is crystal clear and a pleasure to hear. His songs speak to my heart like none other.
Landslide, Stevie Nicks: This song speaks to my midlife crisis within. I can't NOT love this song.
"Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you get bolder
Even children get older
And I'm getting older too"
Yeah, it's like that!
That's 5 songs. And honestly, what about White Christmas, Bing Crosby? Mac The Knife, Bobby Darin? That's the song that Andy and all his friends sang and danced to at our wedding. How can I hear that song and not remember all those young men doing the worm on the floor? Or what about He Ain't Heavy, he's my brother the Righteous Brothers? Or Styx? So many by Styx? Journey? Oh, there is not enough time!
5.Who will I pass this on to: Quite Frankly, I was never good at picking one over the other. My wishy washiness comes out. I can't tag you if you are not interested in playing.
I'm taking volunteers!
Added Later:
We have a volunteer! Lydia begged me to be tagged. BEGGED! So, Lydia, you are it!

blog fun

Did you see the new "101 Things about me" button on the left side? Pretty, isn't it? I think it jazzes up the place a bit!
Big Thanks to Mary! She's done it again!