I have become such a slacker when it comes to blogging. I have to give myself a break though as I really have been working a lot. Although in the interest of full disclosure, Plurk has become sort of an insta-blog, allowing me to share mini snippets of my day rather than a full on post, which has kinda kept me connected (and sane) thru this stretch of longer work hours and less play/blogging/knitting/outside world socializing. Either way, this blog has been sadly neglected.

Today though, I am chock full of content. I have 2 very big Thank Yous, and 2 FOs. Which might even leave me some stuff to talk about tomorrow – I know, I know, 2 days in a row seems unthinkable coming from me… but we shall see.

Anyway, I thought about calling this post “This Means WAR!” because apparently Ms Wendy and I have entered into a battle of the stubborns. It’s all in good fun, and I am having fun with it. I’ve already plotted my next attack package, just need to figure out the execution for my plan – enter mischievous evil laughter here

So Wendy had alluded to a package coming, and just like last time, it arrived with impeccable timing. I had had a pretty tough day on Thursday and came home to a package of SQUEEEEEEEEEEE

Yes, that is the VERY elusive Wollmeise, in the DANI colorway

I brought it to work yesterday to show to Cat who said it matched me in my jeans and my new Woot shirt

I think the colors are much prettier in the skein than on me – look closely! (seriously, click em all for big!)

So yea. Wendy? It was all fun n games, but now? Now it is SO on (joking aside, you really are amazingly generous and I LOVE my new namesake. It will be a while before I decide what to do with it, but I KNOW whatever it is, it will be very special)

I got another wonderful package in the mail, this one arrived today. Again, precision timing because the morning was a bit, erm, challenging. I don;t want to make it sound like I am unhappy at work, nothing could be further from the truth. I LOVE my job and the company and the people, but as with all new project rollouts, there are bumps. Sometimes those bumps get messy. (or to quote Wendy, “Other people are Hell”. Or something close to that. You get the point) Anyway, today started out a little messy with a few loose ends that we figured out and addressed with minimal pain. Then the iPhone started acting wonky again so in the middle of everything else, I had to deal with a support call and another trip to the Apple store to once again swap out my iPhone. It wasn’t awful, but I was a little cranky when I got home. Then I opened the mail box.

Those of you who don’t know Janet (Twisted Knitter) are TRULY missing out on a wonderful creative kind and talented person. She and I bumped into each other about 2 1/2 years ago online, and have what I think of as a special connection. When we decided to move to Charlotte in 2006, she was super helpful, as she had relocated from here to her present home a few states away. She has always been someone I can look to for honesty, inspiration, and just all round positive energy.

A few months ago, she posted about a pair of socks she was knitting that were going to be too big for her. I jokingly mentioned I had big feet, and she said if I wouldn’t mind waiting while they lived at her LYS as a store sample awhile, they could be mine. Today is that day!

She also sent me a CD by an artist I had not heard of (Priscilla Ahn – wow! what vocals! And the CD’s title is not only symbolic of how this gift changed my day into A Good Day, but where today’s post title came from) and a typically sweet Janet card. You can see the socks better in this shot…

My feet will be very happy and snuggly whenever I wear them.

I think with all these pics, I will hold off on the FOs till tomorrow. That’s kinda good actually as it will give me reason to post, and maybe 2 days in a row will help get me back on sorta track…

Now, I’m off with the man to Knitdiva’s new digs to celebrate her birthday and deliver a specially requested pumpkin cheese (bday) cake (Go wish her a happy birthday!!)

May your mailbox bring you as much joy as mine has of late, and your life be as full of good people as I have been lucky enough to surround myself with. I am a lucky lucky girl

I am ALMOST done with the Charade socks – sooooo close I can taste it. The picture was taken before I made more progress on the foot (just after I finished the gusset decreases actually) Now all I need is couple of quiet hours in front of the TV to get the toe decreases done, and the toes kitchenered. Then it’s off to a soothing bath, some drying/blocking time, and these babies are finito!! I’ve actually really enjoyed knitting these and can see making myself a pair too (did I forget mention these weren’t for me? They aren’t.) The pattern is so simple and yet it produces such nice results – and the way they look will totally vary depending on your colorway choices, which makes it really versatile!

While I probably could have completed these yesterday, I allowed myself a fast diversion during season one/disc one of CSI Miami with my honey. (Back story is I joined a dishcloth swap through the Monthly Dishcloth KAL group. It’s a one time swap, so no long term commitments right now. Seeing how I attempted to sign up for SP 11 and somehow didn’t make it thru the sign up process, I will see it as a sign from someone the timing wasn’t right to step back into the longer swaps yet.) Anyway, I cranked out a Daryl Waltrip dishcloth and a (very slightly modified) Tribble for my partner. She listed her prefered colors as blue and purple, so I hope this Peaches and Cream will suit her.

That’s all from here. I want to get to knitting and have to do a few things around here 1st. (I really hate how fast weekends fly by – we need 4 day work weeks or something!)

Yesterday wasn’t what I thought it would be, nor was today. Yesterday was actually better than I thought, today less so.

I did get everything done yesterday, and read the entire book too. I’m really going to refrain from any comments so as not to spoil anything for anyone. I have my friends who have already finished to talk with, as well as the Ravelry HP lovers group. And then there’s work tomorrow as well for more conversation…

I woke up this morning planning to do nothing but knit after I ran a few outside errands. Not so much, Once I got home from my errands, the man decided he wanted Chili for dinner (Yes, it’s hot out. No, I have no idea why he wanted chili, but he makes a damn fine chili and I wasn’t arguing). The only drawback was that meant I was making my cornbread to go with… ok, so back to the store I go since we had no cornmeal in the house. Came home, made the cornbread, and got some work from one of the people I do side work for, and as much as I hated to give up my knitting time today, the extra cash is always a plus. Just as I finished up, one of the guys who works for me called – he is applying for a position still in our department but in a different role – he is such a good guy, and I would love to see him succeed – so anyway, he asked for help with his resume. Sure, why not… spent an hour or so updating, tweaking and fine tuning his work (which was really good to start, it took me so long because I wanted to leave so much of what was there, and not overshadow what he had already done). I just finished (with a dinner break in there somewhere) and am now about to head out to the living room, turn on the TV and spend the rest of the night with my sock.

I did promise some progress shots, so here they are lounging around with my Opinionated Knitter book, a few new knit picks needles and the Harry Potter book.

And a bit closer…

More as they progress, I promise.

And finally, I was asked for my stuffed meatloaf recipe yesterday in both the comments and by email. It’s just one of those things my mom made when I was growing up, and I don’t think I can give anyone exact measurements. I will try and write it out this week, and post it here for anyone interested. It is very easy and (in my opinion) very good. Whenever I make it, it gets devoured quickly, and has even found it’s way to the birthday dinner request rotation a time or two!

That’s it from here. I am looking forward to a good week ahead, complete with knitting! And now, the couch calls!

I should probably confess that when I decided to put the baby sweater on time out, my intentions were possibly not pure. Yes, I know, the phantom dropped stitch thing really pissed me off, but in all fairness, I should have gotten over it and finished the thing already. But no, I was weak, and succumbed to the siren song of socks. And now, I am paying.

My honey and I sat down to watch “The Shooter” late this afternoon, and I may have accidentally cast on for the Uptown Boot socks (Interweave Knits Winter 2003). Twice. The 1st time, I went with the medium size, and size 2 Addis. But after finishing the 2.25 inches of 2 x 2 ribbed cuff, they looked way too big. So I ripped, and cast on again, this time size small, but again on the size 2 Addis. And now, they look too small. I can hear you wondering about my gauge – and here’s where I know I am being punished – I am DEAD ON. Which is unusual for me in sock yarn, as I tend to get way more SPI then generally I am supposed to. Not this time.

That’s ribbing and 2 pattern repeats (8 rows each) that you can barely make out in the picture

Now I just need to decide if I am going to keep going and ignore my gut feelings, or if I am going to rip again and
A – try the size medium again on the same size needles (or smaller?)
B – go up a needle size even though it will throw my gauge off, it will make the small slightly larger
or
C – Find a new pattern

For now, I am going to head upstairs, listen to the fireworks and try to sleep early since tomorrow is going to be a BUSY day.

Hope everyone had a happy and SAFE 4th!

Am I the only one who is completely blown away by the fact it is September? And despite the fact I have a countdown on the sidebar, I think it’s finally sinking in that we are moving in (just less than) 2 months! I’ll be splitting the rest of my day between tossing stuff/packing and (hopefully!!) some sock knitting. Tomorrow is a BBQ at my honey’s aunt’s house, and then Monday, we will take advantage of the holiday and hopefully get more done. (will that be more packing or knitting? That remains to be seen :winky: )

The jaywalker, although progressing VERY slowly, is getting there…

Yes, that is still the 1st sock. I’ve been busy! The pooling started right after I finished the gusset decreases. I’m not sure why, but I’m ok with whatever happens. I just want to finish the 1st one, and get going on the second one already,. I KNOW I am not a speed kintter but this is crazy! (I’m hoping to redeem myself on the second sock)

It’s not helping the packing motivation that the weather is totally conducive to curling up and knitting – we’re getting the remnants of Ernesto, and it is dark, grey, rainy and chilly out there! My Saturday Sky picture is, well, dark, but a very good representation of what’s outside right now.

And finally, my wonderful, talented, amazing, dear friend Valerie has opened an Etsy store. Go, go, go and see what wonderful things she is offering up for sale, and be sure to check back, because she is adding things all the time!

Happy weekend!

Ya know, I could have been annoyed by the 30 minutes I was kept waiting for my appointment today (Technically more than that – my original appointment was for 8:30am. They called Friday and asked if they could bump me to 1, and since it was that or completely reschedule, I took the bump).

But being a knitter, I was not in the least upset. I took out my sock, and started to knit contentedly. I didn’t make MASSIVE progress, since the other people in the waiting room were aksing a million questions about why I was knitting a sock, and telling how so and so used to knit but then she stopped because she found it so boooooring, and how I was wasting my money knitting socks when I could buy them much cheaper and how much free time I would have, and that I was never going to find a man to marry me if I insisted on participating in such old maid activities. All of these unsolicited comments were made by 2 women in maybe their mid to late 60’s. Depsite the fact I hadn’t asked them for their opinions, I smiled politely and tried to avoid getting into it with them, but even though I used my best body language to say “lalalala Im not listening to you” they kept yammering away. Finally, I asked them if they had ever tried to knit, and if they knew the pleasure of creating something that could bring someone else so much joy. Of making something that was so personal, so from the heart. I told them how my grandmother, whom I miss every single day, had taught me to knit, and that it was my way of carrying her with me everywhere I went. And that I thought she would be pleased to know I was continuing on with something she had taught me.

Right about then, I was called in. The receptionist, who was walking me to the room, turns to me and says “Some people!” Some people indeed….

But that’s ok. Because those two ladies will never know what it feels like to have turned the heel, and completed the gusset decreases. And I do!

And now, I have to go pick up a prescription, and come home to get some work done, so I can sit in my comfy chair, waste my money making socks and ruin all chances of finding a man to marry me. (ETA – my honey very wisely pointed out that if I found a man to marry me in spite of the whole knitting thing, we would have a problem since he’s pretty certain polygamy is illegal in NY and NC!)

Sometimes, you just need to take a leap of faith. And my leap of faith came in the form of Jaywalking.

Yea yea, I know everyone under the sun has knit these babies up already. But I have had so many other things I needed to finish. And then when I finally got this this “knit what I want when I want to” point, I was faced with gauge issues. And unfounded fear. Not of the pattern, because it is a wonderful pattern. Fear of knitting a pair of socks with a gauge I have been told is “freakishly tight” (no really! Freakish is a quote! I’m over it now)

Several of you said you didnt check gauge when you knit socks. I listened, sort of. 1st I cast on for the largest size of Jaywalkers (since Kathy so generously upsized the pattern). And after knitting maybe 5 repeats of the zig zag I knew they were going to be huge, despite my gauge. So I ripped, and cast on again, for the 2nd biggest size. Once again, after maybe 4 or 5 repeats of the zig zag, I knew ripping was in my future. I cast on once again, this time in the 84 stitch version (the larger of the 2 original sizes) and by some twist of fate, it looked right!

If I hadn’t frogged so much I would probably be done with the 1st sock by now, but I’m so happy to finally have socks in progress, I’m not gonna stress it. (BTW, that yummy yarn is part of the amazing gift from my wonderful KSKS pal Janette. The yarn is SOOOO nice to work with, and the sock is knitting up super soft and snuggly)

Signups for Sock-ret pal are still coming in strong, which is great! (You have until Oct 1, so stop debating it and just join up already… you know you wanna! :winky: )

Since things are so busy, I’m grabbing moments of knitting where I can find them, so I’m cutting this short in favor of some tea and some jaywalking before I pass out