Hello, sis! It’s been busy, busy, busy here in the frozen north. Work is slammed as my projects seem to just keep growing and growing! Kids are busy; Katie is loving soccer, There’s snow so the boys have been driving north to hike up small mountains and use their skis, and Kirk and I bought cross country skis last weekend. We plan to actually get out in the winter weather this year. I am desperately hoping this will get some weight to budge from my butt and belly!  I went to a great workout a couple of weeks in a row where you do an hour of free weights to music. The time flies by and I can barely move for days afterward. But last weekend I missed because Katie got the flu, and then this weekend I had class at UAA. I am trying really hard to schedule workout time, because I am learning that if it not on the calendar,it just doesn’t happen.

After my last workout I discovered a great new part of my health club, thanks to my friend Janis. I have never been in the steam room. I loved it, It felt so good on my lungs, and it was so warm. It was like the hot tub without sitting in the water. I am dying to go sit in there again!

On the knitting front, I have finished the bottom half of Katie’s new cardigan. I finished a pair of socks last week. They were supposed to be a gift for someone with much smaller feet. I looked up the person’s shoe size and thought I was following directions, When they were done, however, they turned out to be much bigger than anticipated. So I am keeping them for me and casting on again for the giftee. Sucks. Well, for the giftee, but I guess I got to keep my socks.

Earlier this week Kirk asked me if I’d knit socks for the person he drew in the Secret Santa Exchange at the office. So on Wednesday, when I was at Knitting Grounds for mom’s crochet class, I bought some fun yarn and cast on. I must say these are going fast, I am knitting them toe-up and I have turned the heel and am working on the cuff now. Not bad. It helps when you have a three hour class to sit and listen in. I got a huge amount of knitting done!

We went to dinner and a jazz concert (Chris Botti) with Ken and Alisa last night. They called out of the blue and invited us. It was a nice double date, something Kirk and I never do, and the concert was fantastic. He and his band are incredibly talented. He played for Sting and opened for him, and has played with Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, etc. He tours almost 300 days out of a year. We really enjoyed the concert. It was laid back, like sitting in on a jam session. I notice he will be in Atlanta in May. You should go see him, Anne.

We are getting excited that you are almost here; just one month and we will get to knit together. I need to learn and do some lace knitting, so maybe we can work on lace together while you’re here. We can go sit at Knitting Grounds and knit, knit, knit! Yay!

Well, I am avoiding many chores, so I will go now. I’ll leave you with a pic from Halloween; Katie at the Great Harvest Bread Co. making a cookie… Maybe at some point I will actually take a picture  of some knitting.

My knitting on a cute little baby head….

My upcoming evening…

My new toy…

(my boss might drive me nuts sometimes, but he does keep his word..)

My new obsession…

(why, no, there’s not a thing in there I can knit, why do you ask? what there is, however, is a great section of information and tutorials - including reading charts)

I haven’t been totally focused on me - tomorrow I should have pictures of an FO I made for my Coffee Swap Pal - and you might be surprised what it is; it’s been a while!  What’s on tap for your weekend?

By now, we’ve all read and heard how historic this election is enough to know about it, and I’m not here to further proclaim the feat. Don’t get me wrong - I totally agree, and do believe it shows a great advancement in a country that once kept blacks as slaves, but my point is that much was lost in the shuffle of the presidential election this time around:

• Washington became the second state to allow Doctor Assisted Suicide for terminal patients. A patient certified to have less than 6 months to live who follows certain guidelines can receive a prescription from their doctor to end their life peacefully. The ballot passed with a 58% to 42% majority.
• Colorado had two important measures. The first, an initiative that would define a “person” as existing from the moment of conception was defeated 73% to 27%. Don’t let the numbers fool you too much - I believe that there is a much more conservative view on life in Colorado, but this law was poorly written and very broad, and the voters made a great choice. Also, Colorado has an initiative that appears as though it will be defeated 51% to 49% (ETA thanks to Sufimarie: It definitely was defeated - therefore, no change to existing laws) that would eliminate Affirmative Action and make things like quotas illegal.
• California had Prop 08 - which passed by a margin of 52% to 48%, and basically redacts what had been put in place to allow gay marriage in California by the Supreme Court. Agree or disagree with the proposition, this is an example of our system at work. The Courts ruled on something and legislated from the bench - and the people of the state spoke up to create actual legislation to change that decision.
• California also had abortion on the ballot, with an initiative that would require doctors to notify the parents of a minor 48 hours previous to performing one. Interestingly, this was passing for a good portion of the night, but is currently being defeated 52% to 48%. I believe recounts are ongoing and absentee ballots are still being counted.
• Florida also passed a ban on gay marriage - but by a far wider margin of 62% to 38%. The importance there is that a simple majority would not have passed the amendment - FL law requires at least 60% of the vote for an amendment to the Constitution of their state.

• In Alaska, though again, I think things are being recounted, incumbent Ted Stevens is holding on to his seat by a mere 4000 votes. This is interesting because while appeals are in progress, his recent court problems could mean that the full senate votes to remove him - in which case Alaska would have to have a second special election. It’s also important because of the Republican/Democratic balance in the Senate.
• Ooh, and ETA from Barbara - the Minnesota Senate race is undergoing recounts because it’s JUST OVER 200 VOTES APART.  Can you imagine?  That’s the folks who got stuck in traffic, didn’t want to wait for the line, or figured their votes didn’t count!!

What is interesting to me is that some of these initiatives are in states where you’d traditionally expect them to pass, and others are in states where you would think that the opposite would happen with historical voting and conservative or liberal leanings.

These were far more interesting to me to watch than the presidential race, which was, in my mind, a foregone conclusion given polls and the overall feeling and environment around the last few weeks leading up to the election.

And lastly, let me point out that many of these measures, along with several smaller elections in some states (there’s a race in Virginia separated right now by 1000 votes), things were BEYOND close. So many folks feel like their vote doesn’t count - and in some states for the Presidential race, that may have been true - but there are so many more important things on the ballot sometimes that folks overlook, and don’t educate themselves about! If you got out and voted, kudos to you! If you didn’t, I’m shakin my finger at you! ; )

Enjoy your Sunday!

Lace is satan.

I never believed I’d find something that could frustrate me as much as socks - lo!  There IS something in this world where I have just as much problem getting things right in spite of the fact that a) I do not consider myself to be stupid, and b) I STILL manage to screw up even the most simple projects.

I was going to make this:

But, in spite of it being a pretty straight forward pattern.. yea.. wasn’t working out so well for me - seriously, I finished a repeat, and mine looked NOTHING like hers, even blocked out a bit.

So then I tried this one, again, just slightly wider ..

Pretty much the same problem.

Then, I figured.. Forget it. I saw the pattern for Wisp and modified it to be wider, and was doing that and chugging right along.. up until row 58 or so, when .. I don’t even know what happened, but wheeeeeee.. single stitch just unravelled ALL THE WAY DOWN THE DARN THING.

What I WANT to make is something more like THIS.. or THIS (which I actually bought, thanks very much, and have no CHANCE at knitting), or THIS.. or most of all THIS..

So.. I frogged the Wisp, and am going to just set this aside for a bit, and make a dishcloth or something more suited to my abilities. CRY.  Seriously, I’m going to work on my handmade for the coffee swap, and ponder what it is about these projects that’s making them go all wonky and hellish.

While I was popping around visiting blogs, I saw this pattern - it’s for a Poppy, for “Rememberance Day” in Canada, but could also be used for Vetran’s day in the US.  I thought it was very cute, and wish more folks would take the time to remember each November 11th.

And since I wasn’t talking about books or reading at all, I just recently started re-reading (for oh.. the umpteenth time?) this book..

I’d recently finished Feist’s newest - Into a Dark Realm - and it left me feeling like I wanted to begin again. I just love these books.  Magician was written over 25 years ago, and begins when Pug (the main character) is just a boy, and not even yet a magician.  In the most current book, Pug has watched his first wife live and die, and spends time with the grandchildren of the folks who were but teens in the first book.  The many series are just so well done - Pug is not the main character in all of them, but is always around, and a part of the underlying theme that’s been carried through them all.  Seriously, as much as I love LOTR, I love Feist and the characters and world he has created even more.

Reading the book again is like meeting an old friend on the street whom you haven’t seen in years, and finding your way to your favorite coffee shop to sit together in comfy chairs and just be together, talking and sharing memories that make you feel happy and bittersweet all at once.

(As a side note, I like to support Borders, being the smaller red-headed stepchild of the big two, but compared to B&N, their site sucks, lacks information, and is tougher to navigate.  Just saying.)

And with that, I’m off for now - I managed to accomplish almost nothing today and have quite a bit ‘on my list’ for tomorrow.. For Kitten and Nancy, I haven’t forgotten you! I’m just trying to find where I buried everything as I’ve been trying to clean and rearrange - I promise your prizes will come!!

I have to tell you, honestly - I am SO very tired of this election, and SO very glad that tomorrow is election day.  But!  The point here is to remind, and encourage everyone to get out and exercise your right to vote.  This isn’t about WHO you’re voting for - it’s just a reminder that there have been many folks who fought and died for that right.. women and minorities who had to later protest, demonstrate, and fight to be given the same privilege.. and people in the world today who are still fighting for the right to do what so many Americans take for granted.

So tomorrow.. get out there and let your voice be heard.

AND!! EVEN BETTER!  After you’ve voted, you can head to your local Starbucks for a free coffee!  I think it’s an awesome promotion on their part - and just another little bonus for going out and participating in our system.  It ain’t perfect, folks, and neither is EITHER candidate - but it’s still one of the best systems in the world, and I’ll be in line.. likely for hours (we’re having some issues here in Georgia - may your lines be shorter!!).. and hoping you all are too!

I love going to the Post Office and getting a package I’m not expecting - it’s so fun! Barbara, thank you so much! This made my weekend! Check it out ya’ll - dear woman felt like I needed a second dishcloth surprise package!

Isn’t that awesome!? Note the socks that look like the Wicked Witch’s feet LOL And I had to close up the felted candy corn and the soap with a dragonfly!

The soap smells nummy too! Barbara’s cloth is done just in the same style as the Witch Hat one that Grace made me - it’s so neat.. one side you can barely see the design and the other it sort of pops out at you; it’s a really neat concept!

And, it was hair day..

The back is ALMOST like I want it.. the last person doing my hair decided I needed tons of short layers back there, which is not what I wanted - I wanted it stacked sort of like it is, and much shorter in the back than the front. I’m sure by next time it’ll be just how I’d like since the back grows a ton faster.

Here’s the best shot I could muster of the color without going outside where it looks WAY brighter - it’s a deeper red with lighter red highlights, which is just gorgeous (to me anyhow!)

Actually, that was the full-face cheese.. whatever.

Here’s the other one I meant to do the first time..

I like it much more this time than last time I had it done.. Cleo, however, is not impressed.

There’s not been much progress on the lace. I can’t for the life of me figure out why these are so hard. Sigh. It’s a 10 row repeat for goodness sake! It should NOT be this difficult! My latest theory is that mine look like crap because the needles I’m using are too large, so today’s attempt will be moving down a size or two.. it really is teensy yarn, so perhaps the sixes are just too big. I’m sure I’ll come up with some theory after that when it still looks like crap.. anything but admitting I just suck at knitting!

I hope your weekend is going well!

The colors aren’t so true in the above photo - it was a badly lit conference room and flash - but if you’ve ever used CottonEase, you know the colors! They match mom’s nursery decorations, and it was so neat - even Dad was excited about the blanket and just loved it.

When you’ve been fighting lace for a few days, having people ooh and ahh over a garter stitch blankie sure makes you feel nice : )  It was a hit!

First off, I forgot part of Grace’s wonderful package!! Check out the ultra-cute Witche’s Hat Tea Cozy and ballband cloth she sent! Aren’t they great? There was another cloth, but I’ve already used it so you’ll have to trust me on the level of adorable!

I’ve been home sick all of Monday and part of today - just a bit of a cold with the change of seasons here, I think. I’ve used some of that time to attempt to start on a lace stole for a friend of mine - a prayer shawl.

I’ve learned a few things…

• It sucks when you have a coupon for Border’s and they don’t have Victorian Lace Today in stock.
• There are not any easy-to-find tutorials on how to read charts. Any suggestions?
• All of the best stoles come in chart-only format. CRY. See this one as an example. I want to make that so badly I can’t stand it!
• I simply do NOT have the ability to work on anything even semi-lace related and watch television at the same time. It’s like rubbing your belly and patting your head - you’re bound to screw it up sooner or later even if you get into a decent rhythm early on.
• Frogging little bitsy yarn that has yarn overs and K2Tog and P2Togs is not an easy thing.. which is why I only have this much done on about the 7th try…

Impressive huh?? (Rav Link… Site Link) I love the lace pattern in that - the border not so much, so I’m just adding a smaller knit border around the edges. Maybe it has something to do with the “Pick up 792 Stitches” part.. Can you even imagine??

In this case, at least, it’s more of what I consider ‘real’ lace.. there’s stitches on both sides rather than just a purl across - although since the first pattern I tried and kept screwing up was like that, maybe so long as it’s teensy yarn and has yarnovers, it should count!

If anyone has great sites with favorite lacy patterns, I’d love to see em! I like the rectangular stoles moreso than triangular shawls (I really don’t need a shawl pointing right at my big booty, thanks, it gets enough attention all by itself.), and I don’t know any of the handy dandy provisional cast ons.. yet!

PS. I have now completed a full pattern repeat and mine does NOT look like hers.. I have the diagonal ’stripes’ caused by the K2Tog/P2Tog, but not the little fan effect on the sides.. I’m thinking perhaps I’m too loose.. The pattern mentions size 7US needles, and I’m even on a 6, but maybe I’m trying too hard to be loose, I dunno :(  Or maybe the yarn in the photo isn’t laceweight??  Mine’s a true laceweight, I THINK.. I don’t have the label anymore, but it’s two lil ole strands of basically thread plied together.  Perhaps I should go down to a 5 and try again?!  CRY.  This is hard! haha.  Perhaps I’ll try 2 or 3 repeats more and make sure I’m not being all loosey goosey on purpose; I’m normally a tight knitter.. we shall see. OMG GRACE HELP ME!

Happy Weekend!  Thank you to my big sis and family for the great ‘card’ - it definitely made me smile - and thank you for the birthday wishes everyone else, too!  My birthday wasn’t entirely spectacular; it was pouring down rain here, I chipped a tooth, and someone from work I was going to lunch with had to reschedule. On the upside, we went today instead, and it was nicer because it was more leisurely being a non-workday, so it all worked out!  I have a ton to share, so grab a cup, take a seat, and read on!

First off - we have TWO WINNERS!  Kitten With a Whiplash was closest on her guess - I ended up taking 142 photos only - but each one was so worth it to me. And the random drawing winner was Nancy!  Ladies, if you’ll drop me your address (though I’m sure I have yours somewhere, Miss Nancy) I’ll get your prizes out soon!

Next, I received a lovely package in the Dishcloth Swap from Grace!  Check out all these goodies!

There was some really great yarn and so many Hallows Eve goodies!!  I’m also thrilled for the KnitPicks straights - I’ve been dying to try those - thank you so much Grace!  I just realized I forgot to get the cloths - LOL - the best part of the package - I’ll get them next time.  There was a gorgeous orange and black ball band cloth and a really neat witch’s hat one!

There’s also a work in progress…

That’s a really neat scarf (Rav Link) pattern from SMariek Knit’s Site (non rav link) and I love how it’s knitting up - the yarn is truly a dream to knit with, and it’s a great pattern to knit while watching TV or whatever.

With my birthday, I tend to be one of those reflective people - I think about life, and the year, and my goals and where I want to be and how I want to be and what I want to do before the next one.  I have come to the conclusion I need some changes.

I want to de-clutter my life.  My house is full of things I do not need, or use, or need to have around.  I’ll do house cleaning and be done and still have all these piles and clutter and such, and I’ve decided I’m going to spend some time getting rid of things.  Simplifying my life.  De-cluttering.

The same goes for my inside.. there are lots of little piles of clutter here and there - past experiences, past relationships - things that impact me and make me who I am, but that I allow to effect me far too much sometimes, and to impact moving forward.  Time to clear some of that out, too.

I’ve declared this to be the year of ME.  The year I really do get my house looking like I’d like it to.. the year I actually get healthier, lose some weight, and gain some confidence.  I want to find a place where I am happy with me, and I’ve come to a realization - there is nothing and no one in the world that can do that but me.  Moving to Colorado; finding someone special - none of it would matter if I can’t find that place all by myself.

So what was that picture above?  A new tattoo - a dragonfly (larger, slightly, than I’d mentioned, Sis, but also higher up on the arm - almost can’t see it with a 3/4 sleeve on).  I’m really happy with how it turned out - the guy who did it took time to do shading and color variations to try and match that of dragonfly wings and bodies, and I think it looks great.  It’ll get a bit brighter too - I’m still quite red and swollen!

Dragonflies symbolize growth.. maturity.. adaptability to change.. inner beauty.. and they call to me for all of those reasons.  There are a gabillion sites with different meanings and interpretations, but the above themes are the same - even so - the below is what calls to me so much..

The ability to reflect and refract light is responsible for the dragonfly’s status as a “light-bearer,” as well as a symbol of all the power and presence that is associated with light and love. Dragonflies remind us that we, too, are “light-bearers” and silently encourage us to let our own light shine forth. In addition, dragonflies exhibit the many colors of life. With maturity, the dragonfly’s own true colors come forth, as it learns to bend, shift and adapt light in a variety of ways. These bright colors take time to develop, but are always worth the wait because they ultimately reveal the insect’s deepest inner beauty. The dragonfly demonstrates the utmost adaptability and grace as well. No bird or other insect has the flight maneuverability of the dragonfly, which can quickly change directions when necessary. They are experts at going where they need to be and doing what they need to do. Traditionally, the dragonfly is the symbol of transformation and life’s ever-constant process of change.

And so it is for me - a symbol of the need to transform.. to change.. to mature.. to grow - and to let my iner beauty shine through.