What Would You Do?

I started knitting the size 39 Soleil yesterday. But today? I suddenly realized I hadn't checked my measurements and it's almost time to do that (Tuesday would be the actual day, but under the circumstances, I thought I'd better not wait...)

May I just say? "Wow!" I'm down 14.5 inches overall (that's counting each arm and leg by itself...I think I'm supposed to do that, right?)

In essence the 39 would fit now. But I'm not wearing Soleil in the middle of a snow storm *wink* so I'm kinda thinking I should rip what I've done and knit to the next smaller size? That would be a 36.

I'm just going to admit here that I'm having a bit of trouble getting my head around that number. I haven't been a 36 since high school...(and I thought I was fat then!)

But as a frame of reference, I located this photo during a bit of organizing yesterday...
(Sorry for the blinding white shirt, that's a scan of an actual Kodak photo)

That's me and Big Sis in July 1998, two years before my heart attack and by-pass. We'd just had lunch at a restaurant known as Spinnaker's and they had wonderful (WONDERFUL) Flower Pot Bread (Whole Wheat). It was a personal favorite. (I know, you'd never have guessed, right?)

(Have you picked yourself up off the floor yet? I was at my heaviest then. I will only say that I hadn't quite made it to 200 pounds and I never did (Whew!). I am a whopping 5'2" tall. Okay, give or take 1/2 an inch.)
eta: I lost 10 pounds right after my by-pass surgery from following Dean Ornish's program for reversing heart disease - it's very restrictive with only 10% of calories from fat, and also vegan-centric. Vegetarian I can handle, but lacto-ovo-pesca vegetarian is about as far as I can go down that path. So after that, I lost and gained about 10 lbs. repeatedly over the next few years, including about 6 lbs. in the first part of 2009 because I started the CSA program and had so many veggies I'd paid a lot of money for, I had to eat them...that works, btw - lots of veggies! And it helped to change my perspective about food, too...So half of the weight loss was prior to my joining Weight Watchers in October, 2009).

Still - Vive la difference?
I think so...now - do I knit the 36? Can you see why I'm having trouble making that decision?

I Think It's Stopped...

But here's what it looked like at about 9 this morning:

eta...no, it's still snowing. It has been all day..I'm off to see how many inches they say we've had, but 10 would not surprise me

And this time? I had the sense to bring the trashcan up to the walk (it looks "trashy" but last time? It took two weeks to get TO it again...)

I strained my back again while shoveling, so I gave up and headed inside. The neighbor's snow blower apparently gave up, too. This was a heavy powder - I know, it makes no sense - but it really was heavy, and dry.

I finally cast on Soleil in the Ocean colorway.

The lace is super simple, but I'm still using markers as I don't want to handle this yarn too many times - it starts to look a bit ratty, that's a sad thing, as I'd hoped the linen in this would keep it nice for a bit...hope I'm not going to be totally disappointed in the yarn? After all, this will be my first "shaped" garment.

Also on the needles?

The Claudia Chocolate Cherry socks. LOVE these...and at least I have something red on the needles as I begin February, right?

Another easy knit...dishcloths in new to me, at least, colorways of Sugar 'n Cream. I love them!

Something else I love?

One very grumpy Meezer. I suspect we're going to have to visit the vet when we can get out the door, for another "delicate procedure" to make the little one feel better. Come to think of it, CC probably needs the same thing!
(sigh)
It's always something, right?

And yes, my restorative yoga class was cancelled (double-sigh) but rescheduled for later in February.

Now, if you'll excuse me? I'm heading back to my heating pad and Soleil.
(((hugs)))

Old Man Winter...

Will not let go this year...

map from TWC
Let me tell you, they're calling for between 8 and 12 inches of snow in Roanoke between tonight and 1 a.m. Sunday morning! Again!

We just don't *do* snow...

But I love it. I really, really do. Not to drive in it, tho' I can, but because over the past 3 weeks, I've not had a day off. Tomorrow? I am going nowhere. Well, maybe out to shovel the walk, tho' they say this will be dry snow, so perhaps I'll just have to sweep, ya know? (that's too bad in a way, because yesterday I learned of a restorative yoga class tomorrow that I'd planned to take, and I suspect it will be postponed now. Restorative yoga is right up my alley after the month I've had...

I hurried home tonight, and started laundry - I hate to go into the basement when it's as frigid as they're saying it will be (and it's cold now, but 8 degrees is worse!)

So I'm ahead of the game for the weekend. All the clothes are finished (tho' I still have some folding to do) and so are these:

Thirty one pairs of handknit socks. And yes, there's another pair on the needles (and there are even a few pairs still in the sock drawer...Oh! And one pair on my feet as we speak!)

I have plans for this weekend...organizing plans, planning plans, knitting plans, reading plans, kitty-playing plans, thinking plans - I'm sure I have far more plans than time. (Isn't it always the way?)

On the knitting front, I finally got gauge on the Knitpicks Cotlin tonight, but I had to go down a needle size so this was knit on my Harmony's instead of the metal Options (sigh, I like those Options!):

The row gauge is too long by half an inch, but you know what? I had planned to make Soleil a bit longer anyway - I still might put on a fourth repeat of the lace edging, we'll see. And I played a bit in the yarn stash and discovered a couple of yarns I'd set aside thinking I'd never use as I didn't have enough to do much with it. Now with the smaller size I wear? There is probably enough to make a tank or two...Serendipity!

OH - and then there's this juicy tidbit from the January 2010 TKGA newsletter: knitting burns 100 calories an hour!

NOW I know why I'm doing so well on Weight Watchers! There's a semi-snarky leader - NOT my Meghan! - I can't wait to give that little bit of news to - she's the one who told me that I really couldn't count yoga as exercise because it was too relaxing...
teehee
(((hugs)))

Five Years? Amazing...

It's snuck up on me! Wednesday's my blogiversary!! (Had I not read Stephanie the other day, I'd have never even thought of it...)

There's one very important thing about this blog experience, as far as I can see. Without each and every one of you reading out there, I wouldn't have made it this far. I love getting your comments (hint-hint!), and I'm overwhelmed by the number of you that I can now call "friend." I plan to keep on here, tho' I have to admit that this month, I've wondered if I should perhaps write a bit less often? It's been a necessity the past couple of weeks, and I've missed it...but it's been a bit easier on me to not be here most every single day. We'll see where it goes when January ends and life calms down a touch...

I think I still prefer having the separation of blogs, too. Nana Sadie's Place lets me go in directions that I think push the boundaries of a knitting blog, so I try hard not to confuse the two...there's a lot of "ME" over there that you don't find here, so if you're so inclined, do stop by.

Wonder if I'll still be doing them both in five more years? *wink*

Today I received a Knitpicks order:

There are six skeins of each of the two colors of their CotLin up there, all planned for this tank. Yes, two sleeveless tanks!

I'd never have thought of trying to make this (tho' I've loved Soleil since I first saw the pattern), but with my weight loss the past few weeks (I'm down a little this week, too, see up there?), I suddenly realized there were a lot of patterns I might consider making now...the Options needle tips are size 6, and the book? Oh, yes. That's Abby's book on spinning. I took her class at Sock Summit, and just didn't *get* the whole bottom-whorl thing, but I've seen her YouTube videos and understood a bit more. My pal, Rae, sock knitting teacher extraordinaire, had this book at our Christmas KnitIn party, and I decided it was something I needed to have.

Hmm...maybe I'll have to write here less often in order to have the time for knitting tanks and learning to spin...whatcha think?

A bit of an update: The Star City Cat Show has come and gone again, and this year was much the same as prior shows. I'm so happy to see all my friends and customers, and to make new ones. This year, I rather enjoyed having my photo taken in front of the booth - we've had to go to different "uniforms" since my weight loss. The shirts we had were always too large, but now? I could probably fit my Big Sis, Sis-in-law, and myself in the one I used to wear! This is still an XL shirt (because it's the only pink one I have), but those are my size 10 jeans it's tucked into...

Compare that gal with this shot from Sept 2008:

What a difference 23 pounds makes!

I bought a couple of kitty-themed dressy t-shirts in size Medium (!!) from my favorite Cat's Closet (Hi, Pat & Chuck!)...I was so excited that the mediums fit!

It's a little unsettling to realize that every piece of clothing I have is now so large that I look weird when I wear them. I'm hoping for a decent tax refund so I can judiciously purchase new, more flattering items...

(and will be putting some things on ebay, others into a yardsale, and finally of course, donating much!)

Because I don't think I want to keep much of this around - I don't want to think I can so easily regain what I've battled so hard to get rid of...
(((hugs)))

One More Thing...

That ice storm last night enabled me (by way of late opening of schools so our office did likewise!) to create one more bag for the Star City Cat Show!

An oldie, but a goodie - every Siamese cat owner's favorite fabric - Michelle Meow! Mind you it's a small bag...a Kerri, which helped in the processing of it.

The booth is set up, everyone's ready. Now make sure YOU show up! Truly, if you're in Roanoke this weekend, do stop by, the show is both Saturday and Sunday at the Holiday Inn on Ordway Drive (that's behind Channel 7 for you locals!).

Hope to see you there!

Happy Birthday DGS #2!

It's a big 6! Six years old today!

Happy Birthday, big guy! Nana loves you.

And here...because I promised earlier in the week? I finally got these two Knitnana bags done:

The one in the back is a sample (in other words, it's mine...but won't get used a lot, as I'll try to keep it nice). The one in front, of course, will be available at the Star City Cat Show this weekend...at the Holiday Inn on Ordway Drive in Roanoke.

Hope to see you all there....

That is, if the weather they're calling for is only for the short time they say...that old fleet and sleezy rain (to quote my pal, Lynette) is coming in tomorrow afternoon into the evening. I'll be rushing to get the vet's payroll done, and we'll have to see if the Ravishing Reds of Roanoke get to crown their new Queen Mum tomorrow night, as planned...

Back on the Upswing?

I'm starting the heel of the Chocolate Cherry socks. :)

I do love my socks in stockinette.

And btw...did you notice that ticker? After last weeks' blip on the radar, I'm headed back down again...fingers crossed it continues, you know?

Tonight was weigh-in at Weight Watchers and I dropped 1.8 pounds!

But here's the real news...I went back to Penney's - I was talking at meeting about the "nonscale victory" of wearing this sweater that was the smallest thing I own and it's also been one that I'd wear once in awhile, but it was so tight, I shouldn't have...the leader (I love Meghan) said, "Um...Sallee? That sweater is too big"
HUH?
"Yup. Too big." Everyone agreed with her...

It was the motivation I needed to go see about a smaller top. Except when I got there I saw the Lee Relaxed Fit Straight Leg Stretch jeans. I took the size 12 short in to the dressing room and tried them on. The length was perfect (of course), but the pants were big...on a lark, I decided (totally thinking there was no way in hell) I got the size 10 shorts and also a pair of the mediums.

The shorts were too short (way too short!).

The mediums? I not only got them on (and will have to turn the hem up a touch) but I could sit down in them with the BUTTON BUTTONED and the pants zipped!!

When I checked out? I said to the cashier...Do you know the last time I wore a size 10? She said, "No, when?" (young sweet thing she was, a waif)...
"When I WAS 10 years old!"

Ok...probably not, but almost!!

I do not believe this...I am just totally amazed...And tickled. Of course I bought them (they're a teensy bit snug in the seat, but at the rate I'm going they won't be) and I realized that if I do lose the 12 or so pounds I have left to my goal? I might make it to size 8s yet.

You'll find me over the moon if that happens....

Just in case you needed proof!
*wink*

When All Else Fails...Go Back To Basics!

Basics like Garter Stitch and Stockinette?

yes.

I have no idea why I've hit such a brick wall with my knitting. But after an intense weekend of wrestling with W-2s and year-end payroll reports, I packed myself off to KnitIn (today at Yarn Explosion, my LYS) where I picked up a few skeins of black Mission Falls 1824 Wool and one of teal, too and worked for a couple of hours on the Log Cabin Blanket (all garter stitch, all the time). The yarn purchase was in the hopes I'll have enough now to finish the blanket...

And came home to complete the reports and stuff the W-2 envelopes and start the bookkeeping for December and the year-end financials for the CPA...(different stuff, for those of you who aren't accountants...)

When my eyes were too blurry to look at another number, I settled in to cast on for a pair of my Plain Vanilla Socks from the Personal Sock Club of 2010. Miss Muffin was pleased to come out and model the toe for you. (Details? The Claudia Chocolate Cherry sock yarn, and my Knitpicks Options circs.)

The Meezer expressed her pleasure, too. She curled up to snooze on my lap while I knit the toe.

Tomorrow is another day...of bookwork, of course. (It's only mid-January, right? Right now? I'm living for February!)

Something to Strive For?

My yoga teacher read this at class last week. Rumi is a poet I'm familiar with but this poem was new to me. It's certainly an interesting perspective and one that I can appreciate...tho' I'm unsure if I can be this detached about everything that comes my way. What about you?

The Guest House

This being human
is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of it's furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

--Rumi

Thank Goodness Tomorrow is Friday!

You know what? As soon as I typed that title, I thought, well, sorta, kinda, thank goodness - because this weekend is going to be super busy, too...in fact, posting might be kinda light between now and the end of the month!

My job has been really frenetic this week, and even my receptionist mentioned that she didn't even see me yesterday (I usually get out to the front desk, if only to get some water at the cooler, but not yesterday!). I think tomorrow will be a bit slower and there are some things I'll try to finish up before the long holiday weekend, but the heavy "lifting" this week is done.

And then there's this weekend! My last Christmas (may I say "finally?") with another branch of the family, a knit group meeting, the year-end bookwork for my vet and hopefully at least a start on her W-2s...

And I just realized that I have absolutely not one single Knitnana bag to use as a sample at the upcoming cat show! So between now and next Friday, I have to make at least one, and preferably 3! They're popular, dontcha know? I think we'll have a lot fewer bags to choose from this time around, but with the heavy load elsewhere, I've had to make tradeoffs. Samples give folks an idea, and they like to pick their own fabrics, anyway...
(I can probably rationalize just about anything, you know?)

I finished this tonight, though...

It's probably a year-round fabric, but I think those flowers in the border print are very spring-like. That's the second iteration of the Fancy Cats fabric by Makower. I love the several different FC lines they've designed but it makes me completely crazy that they go out of print so fast. They should make longer runs of the prints, if you ask me!

As far as knitting goes? I have no idea about the mittens I'm making. This is the third try, I should probably Just.Give.Up.

Tonight I received two requests to use my Evelyn Clark Heart Dishcloths (TWO!) as the pattern page photos on Ravelry. I love love love those patterns, so maybe I'll just decide to drop those mittens (it's supposed to be 55 degrees tomorrow, anyway) and knit a few dishcloths. That should be easy enough (oh, what am I saying? EC's designs aren't automatic at all, so I have to follow the directions - someday I should chart them!)

Still...They're quick, mostly simple, pleasing...but not quite mindless...

And of course - next month is HEART MONTH! (Is there a better time to knit hearts?)

In fact? February 5 (that's a Friday) is National Wear Red Day. I was at JCP last night and discovered the Heart Truth t-shirts for $7.99...I hope they still have them next week after payday - because I've got my eye on one of them!

(So, pull out your red if you have it and if you don't? Get some! Heart disease doesn't care what you wear, but wear red to honor the day, okay?)
((((Hugs))))

Tuesday Notes

Just a quick post tonight to mention a couple of things - I usually participate in Ten on Tuesday, but the notice regarding it is coming in later and later in the day, conflicting with my work schedule and leaving me with little time to think through a post. I'm going to stop doing it unless I see something that strikes my fancy. This week's would have made you nuts anyway - I haven't seen 10 movies probably in the past 5 years, so how could I tell you anything I liked?
:)
Since I'm always quick to trumpet my weight loss, tonight I have to play by the rules and admit a weight gain! I'm up .2 pounds. No, I'm not freaking out about it, as I've slowed way down on exercise since falling on the ice. I'm recouperating fine, but it's still sore and my back is bothering a bit. Yoga last night was an easier session, as I was the only one in class, so she tailored it to my needs. Nice, but not quite as good a workout!! Of course, there was also that extra night out over the weekend to eat at CiCi's Pizza - and I wasn't as good as I should have been, pizza being one of my downfalls - that and chocolate are the worst.

The power company is apparently on everyone's bad side with this latest increase (which hasn't yet been approved by the regulatory agency). Delegates to the legislature are making noises about blocking the increase. (Wish they'd do that!) But apparently the factor of 3 that my bill increased by is fairly common. It's frustrating, but I don't know what else to do about it...I've raised my heat a bit, as 60 simply was too cold.

The good news is that we're due to have temperatures in the 50s on Friday - but that's only after tonight's 15!

And I've decided to attempt the EZ May Mitered Mittens again. I can now concur with EZ that mittens should be knitted in May creating a store against winter. I will do my best to work on hats, socks, cowls, gloves and mittens (along with shawls) in spring & summer) and sweaters and shawls and blankets in fall & winter!

I have these on my size 5 bamboo dpns once again trying to use up my leftovers of BMFA BFL Sport in Beached. I may like these better...but I'm not far enough along to say for sure yet. But the fabric the size 3s made was way too stiff!

My little joy, The Meezer, has been in a playful mood tonight so when I tried to photo her for this post, she grabbed the camera strap and had a blast.

("little" is a relative term, of course...methinks The Meezer would benefit from her own session with Weight Watchers for Felines...)
*wink*


Oh! One last thing? Have you visited this blog? Such a great site, and such a refreshing persective!

I Just Love Productive Weekends!

Except that I always think they go way too fast...which this one, of course, did.

I managed to get two windows in the sewing room covered in plastic (you should see how the plastic bows into the room under the force of the air coming in through the leaky windows!), then unearthed old quilts and woven throws that I was able to clothespin behind my drapes, but over top of the blinds in the bedroom (three windows), the "windward" side window in the living room, and then also in the bathroom. I have had fabric for a long time now that I intend to use to make curtains for that small window, but I imagine you can guess what sort of things take precedence when I'm at the sewing machine, right?

Things like this, perhaps?

A Grand Mera and a solid black Mera, lined with the leopard spots...I adore this fabric and once I started working on the larger bag, I remembered my plans to do a more subdued smaller bag. Mostly, I'm trying to produce samples for this show as all the large bags I'd used for a couple of years were sold at the National Capital Show in September last year (It was time for fresh new ideas, anyway!). But that does mean that I have NONE now...well till I got this one done. I have a couple more large bags ready to go, so you'll see them over then next couple of weeks.

I also finished the Buffalo Gold Reading Mitts:

Yarn: Buffalo Gold Sport (from the Bailout Program at Sock Summit 2009)
Needles: size 5 Clover bamboo dpns
Pattern: Susie's Reading Mitts. There were a few errors in the pattern, so check with Ravelry...there's no errata up for the pattern, but folks have fudged (as did I) to get it to work. Mainly you'll see on the lace row that the small size says to use an odd number of stitches when the patterning is for even numbers. I fudged. And these aren't perfect, one's just a touch longer than the other, which I could block out, but I won't worry too much about them. It doesn't look bad, and they'll be under the cuffs of a coat anyway.
Time to complete: Started January 7, completed tonight - a fast knit and I worked them in around a full day at the office on Friday and all I did this weekend, too.

They are a gift for Dear Daughter, but she knows about them, just hasn't seen them yet.

Thank you all for your kind wishes for her. I know she appreciates them. She'll be fine, life challenges being what they are...

Oh. I also picked up another piece of organizational furniture today at the home improvement store. It, too, was on sale and is bound for the office/knitting room. I'll show you sometime, but I doubt I'll have much time in the next couple of weeks to put it together and start using it...(It's a CD organizer, and I know you noticed the hodge-podge of things I was using for that purpose in those photos down below!)

Hmm..I think I need a pair of mitts, myself! So one item gets bound off, another gets started...tomorrow, I suspect, as it's almost bedtime now.

Have a great week!

Third Time's The Charm?

Like much of the country, we're experiencing incredibly cold temperatures, in fact I heard on the news tonight that this is the fourth coldest January since Roanoke started keeping records. It's positively frigid. You already know that I'm battling the electric company - the bill for last month arrived today and it's three times what I'm used to. While I realize that the usage has been the highest it's been since I moved here (in spite of changing to all compact fluorescents and keeping the temperature down and lights and such turned off!), two rate increases in a matter of 4 months is a bit hard to swallow. The second rate increase may get handed back to us eventually, but it's not a welcome sight right now, I can tell you. I do hope to be able to seal up a couple more windows (on the windward side) like I did the one behind my computer, but I don't have tons of time to spare this weekend, what with the cat show just two weeks away.

Ok. Moving right along. In knitting news, I have finally hit upon a pattern that is working with the Buffalo Gold Bailout yarn I got at Sock Summit in August...it's been a challenge, and this is the THIRD pattern I've tried:

Susie's Reading Mitts. I found it via Carole's and started them last night. And had to rip them out almost immediately because somehow I managed to miss about 6 rows of pattern...I guess I was tired. I think it's working well now, and I like how it's turning out.

Dear Daughter is having kind of a rough time right now, and I'm thinking these might be a nice little something for her. (Ok, a big something when you consider the price of this yarn, even with the "Bailout" program, so she'd better take good care of them!)

She and I and the boys all had dinner at the pizza restaurant tonight, and I could hardly stand that she had nothing on her hands...(and the boys' mittens? you ask...well, of course, being little boys, do you think they had them? Nope. What's a Nana to do?)

But right now? I'm wearing so many layers it's hard to walk!!! Oh...well it's now 18 degrees and the windchill is 8. It's supposed to drop ridiculously tonight and not get out of the low twenties tomorrow - this is not normal at all.

I suspect The Meezer will be under the covers with me again tonight. And I'm not complaining either.

You all try to stay warm, okay?

The First FO of 2010! Already!

I'm a bit surprised, myself! But this scarf just flew off the needles...now of course it's not blocked yet, and I'm not sure when I'll get that done, but I couldn't wait to show you my Misty Garden Scarf from Scarf Style:

I should do more feather and fan, you know?

Thank you everyone for your concern over my fall. I'm okay. Sore and bruised. And discussing the minor (to date) medical expenses with the restaurant involved. I'm really surprised there's a discussion at all, considering they could have been paying for surgery to repair a broken hip, but then again, no I'm not surprised. Litigious society that we are, when someone really IS injured, it's hard for a company to think someone might legitmately ask for reasonable expenses to be reimbursed rather than immediately make the assumption that the person is going to sue them for all they're worth. (sigh)

We'll give them the benefit of the doubt at present anyway.

I completely forgot to show you the Knitnanas I completed at year-end last week:

These are two more for my Big Sis - she knows a lot of younger women having babies! I'm really sorry this photo turned out as poorly as it did, because there's no more of this fabric and it's the only shot I have. If Big Sis hasn't wrapped and/or gifted these yet, I hope she'll take a GOOD photo for me!! There's also a checkbook and little baglet/sundry case in that shot, too.

And soon you'll be seeing a couple of bags or so in preparation for the cat show at the end of the month!

The Meezer is perched on the cutting table awaiting her instructions, like a very good little Sewing Assistant!
(((hugs)))

Well..It's Back to the Grind...

The one thing I wanted to try to get done during the holiday days off has taken more than just that time, and really has still more to do, but I'll show you the fruits of my labors...Let's start with a couple of "before" photos of my office/knitting room:

Not that it's TOO messy, right? *wink*

There were boxes of yarn stacked, and tossed, I had boxes of "stuff" from the move that had not been processed, unpacked or, in some cases, just plain tossed. While there is still too much in this little room, I think I've made a little progress...

This is storage that has to be kind of "make-shift" because I have bought lots of odd pieces of the white laminate storage furniture and tried to configure it to this apartment when it mostly fit pretty well in the last one. The one piece in the photo above that is new is the middle shelf behind the swift and the stereo that has three sections to it (oh, the third divider is behind the swift)? I bought that yesterday at the Domestications Outlet. It's one of those serendipitous finds. Unfortunately it also weighs a ton. Somehow I got it upstairs, and then UP onto the "desk" that's created by two small bookshelves connected by a 2x4-foot shelf board (and my back is fine!). I haven't yet figured everything that will get housed in that spot, but I'm sure you can imagine I'll have no problem filling it up with something.

Here is a shot of my desk (yes, it's two file cabinets and another of those 2x4-foot shelf board and a box of keepsakes that works well for a footrest)
The best decision I made recently was to take the full-sized keyboard off the desktop. Unfortunately, I'm so much of a clutterbug that I quickly filled the available space with more stuff!

And here is the best seat in the house!

My knitting chair - as you can see there's more of the white laminate bookcases, two sizes there, stacked...there's a long wooden bookcase that fits right under the window...I have more books and magazines than ought to be legal...

Ok. There's much to do in the room yet, and I wanted to share one of those things:

One of my favorite Christmas gifts was from Big Sis. She purchased the JS Perry print on the left there, the Star Bright Siamese. I already had the one on the right, Bookmark, but I hadn't gotten it framed. So she framed Star Bright and bought a matching frame for Bookmark. These will have pride of place in the knitting room as it's become the spot for all of my Siamese cat art. And as you can see, The (resident) Meezer approves...

Today was the KnitIn's postponed Christmas party with Dirty Santa. We were snowed out the week before the holiday and were lucky that we could all get together today...

I'm in love with the gift I picked (and am amazed that no one snatched it away from me, as I had #3 of about 13 people, so there was ample opportunity for me to lose it! I wasn't able to snap the photo quickly enough to show how much The Meezer loves the little stuffed lamb...I'm looking forward to testing out the linen on the shawl pattern, even tho' I realize it will be slow going. And yes, that's a Namaste double point case.

But The Meezer got THE extra special holiday gift from Big Sis:

That cat pad has 'nip in it...

But I'm sure you can't tell, right?

She spent a long time on it yesterday evening.

And didn't even bother to screw her eyes closed when the flash went off (of course, that's why the eyes are so yellow, you know. She's stoned out of her mind and those pupils are fully dilated!

(oh, and yes, I'm sure you can tell, but my family usually makes it a catty Christmas for me...I wonder why they do that?)

Twenty Ten! What an Odd Sound That Has!

But I'm excited to see the new decade! Can't help but feel that things have been so yucky that we can only get better...

I promised an update on my fall: I'm okay, we think, tho' the doc and I decided not to do Xrays right now. I have full range of motion in the hip and lower back, and am walking, but, wow, am I sore and bruised. I feel very lucky that I didn't break that hip, as it was surely the first thought I had after I realized I'd hit ice - it happened so fast, I barely knew my feet were in the air before the hard landing on the ice. The weird thing? I was meeting someone, a good friend, who came along after I'd moved my car and gotten into the restaurant. I had already gotten the manager to look at the ice (he almost fell on it, too!) and then my friend phoned. She was in the parking lot and had fallen on the ice - yes, I'm not kidding, the VERY same spot!! We thought it totally bizarre. She said, "I wondered why you hadn't parked in that really good spot!" She's okay, too, thankfully. The restaurant corporate office has contacted us both, so I think everything is going to be fine...once we get over the soreness. And if need be, I'll get Xrays, but we just decided to hold off on the radiation for now...the doc's idea, not mine. But then, when I thought about it, I concurred - I've had a bunch of that stuff lately, you know?
(sigh)

Okay, with all that said, I have a few plans I promised to divulge here:

I think it's probably pretty obvious that my mindset of "use it up" will carry into this decade, and in more ways than just knitting. But I had so much fun knitting from stash for the Personal Sock Club last year, I decided to do it again.

Everything's set - but this year I'm only planning on 6 pairs of socks, instead of the 12 from last year. That should free up a little time for the other plans I have...

I signed up for the Personal Blanket Club, too, you see. My plan is to finish the Log Cabin Blanket that's been languishing forever, and to begin a leftover sock yarn blanket. I haven't decided on a pattern for that one yet, but I will.

In my desire to follow that "make-do" philosophy of mine, I also planned to make the Fiesta Shawl that Birdsong made this year. Unlike Birdsong, I'm not going to ask anyone to send me scraps of their sock yarn, because, frankly? I'm pretty sure I have plenty! *wink*

The sock yarn blanket will be made from my wool blend sock yarns. The Fiesta Shawl? For that special pattern, I'm going to use just my leftover handdyed wools.

Ok. There's more, can you believe it?

Last year, I participated in the Basket of Shame brainstorm that Rainy came up with. It got a little overwhelming for her, but it was such a success for those of us who participated (and there's a Ravelry group, too) that we all decided to continue it because it was great motivation! So I've listed 4 things to pull off the UGH! or hibernation lists to try to finish up (in one way or another) this year:
1. The Log Cabin Quilt (I love it when I can satisfy two goals with one project!)
2. Helsinki (I'm almost at the half-way point, and I want to wear this!)
3. Diamond Fantasy Shawl (I know, I know, I just can't seem to get it out of the Basket of Shame, it was there in 2009!)
4. Beach Glass Shawl - I think, but am not sure, that I messed this up. Which means it's going to take time to look at it and decide if I can fix it. All fails? I'll frog it...(boy that will be an easy solution to getting an item out of the BOS, eh?)

I'm also toying with using my leftover and accumulated single skeins of Peace Fleece to make a larger and multicolored Textured Shawl, but we'll see about that...

In general, the ideas are: Knit as much as possible from stash and keep my funds for critical *wishes* ...

Oh. You mean you'd like to know what my wishes might be? Well, I'm going to start saving up for a Nook as I'm delighted with it's ability to change font size right there on that one screen!

Then, I'll definitely be buying Wendy's Toe Up Socks For Everybody when it comes out in the spring. And, of course, once Signature has size 1.5 16-inch circulars available, there'll be two of those winging their way to me. Otherwise, just on general principle, I'm hoping to create a stash of cash to purchase those special knitting related somethings as soon as they show up - you know, the things we don't know about yet? Because it's important to me to control the use of those credit cards, now that they're mostly dug out from Sock Summit!
;)

And then I'm also planning on that first sweater - you know Cheryl Oberle's Three Sisters? In the wonderful Knitpicks City Tweed I was swatching not so long ago...

Oh, yeah. And one more thing?
I know you noticed that book that came in the mail this week (in an earlier photo?) Well...I'm going to try that spinning thing again. We'll see, no promises.

There are some plans over on Nana Sadie's Place that aren't knitting related, too. Whew. I'm going to be busy.

But not too busy for one final, very important plan:

To spend some quality time with this little gal every day.

Happy 2010! We made it, and I can just feel it - it's going to be great!
((((Hugs))))