Get A Move On

Thanksgiving has come and gone and before we know it Christmas will be here. This will be the year of actually scaling down. There really aren't any little kids (well with K around sometimes it feels like there is a little kid in the house!) in the house so no need to run out for all the newest items. The plan is to pick gifts that are really needed or wanted within reason. We'll see how that goes, we've said it before but for some reason I think we'll be better at sticking to it this year.

On the knitting front the gifts are moving along, hopefully fast enough for everything to be accomplished. I have one hat for the nephews done, one set of the hand holding mittens completed(they are cute if I say so myself) and I'm almost done with the second of the Christmas stockings. I'll try and post some pictures this weekend. I have to get moving to try and get it all finished up.

K and my husband scored Patriots tickets for tomorrow. K wants to run up to NH to get his Patriot's jersey to wear to the game, come back home, then out to Foxboro for the game. I think not! He's obsessed with having something Patriot's to wear to the game. I'm obsessed with them staying warm as the cold air has settled in. They are off to the store today for some warm mittens and liners as well as some warm packs for hands and feet. You've got to be dedicated to sit out in the cold to watch grown men running around and into each other. Me, I'm staying home where it's warm. I think I'll work on those projects, maybe run over to my LYS to check out the Dream in Color yarn (if there is any left), eat in front of the tv, and check in on the game now and then. They'll be home late and have to get up early to get K back up to college for his first class. It's all worth it he says!

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Early Morning

The sun was pretty in the sky as I walked the dog this morning. I have been fascinated lately with the way light plays at different times of the day. Yesterday coming out of a store there was such a contrast of the dark grey sky and the houses and trees that were lit up by the sunlight piercing the opening in the clouds. But no camera so no picture. It's in my mind though!

This morning I watched as the sun came up between the trees. What is left of the leaves were highlighted in that morning light.

The colors this year were rather blah but in the right light they look rather pretty! The air is getting nippy and the talk of...snow...is becoming more prevalent. It's just a matter of time. I've got to find those hats and scarves I made last year.

This guy reminds me to get to my food shopping list and once that is done back to the Christmas knitting. One hat to be finished tonight, a pair of the hand holding mittens up next, there has to be some variety. Knit on!

Trying Not To Get Ahead Of Myself

Christmas is coming in case you hadn't notice. However I think you must live in a hole if you haven't been bombarded with music, songs, ads and decorations in the stores. It seems to get earlier and earlier that this happens every year. The kids were barely in from the Halloween candy dash and suddenly the ads on tv started to appear. I think there should be a law that all the hoopla can't start until after Thanksgiving.

Now because of all the push towards Christmas I'm starting the knitting gift panic. I said this year would be the year I keep it all in control. But I'm losing control. My mind is queuing up those projects left and right. I will say there are few things finished. I did the fingerless gloves for my mom and the socks for son's fiance's mother(I know). But for everything I finish something appears at the end of the list. I have to finish a scarf for my job share other half. I have two hats for the nephews. Hand-holding mittens for the newly weds and the engaged son/fiancee as well as a friend and his wife. My "need to finish" project bag is getting bigger and bigger. I'm hoping that's it but I'm afraid that this year will be no different than the years past.

Yarn Haul....I mean crawl

Today was a perfect day, good friend, beautiful weather and yarn shopping. What more could anyone ask for? Every so often friends and I like to go off for the day usually exploring new yarn shops. It's so much fun to fondle yarn in new environments. Today was no exception.

We started the day at Seed Stitch Fine Yarns(http://www.seedstitchfineyarn.com/) in Salem. What a pretty and comfy shop. Welcoming with inviting chairs and bright space. We were told to fondle to our hearts content and being the best at following directions we did! There were walls of beautiful fiber of all colors and weights. Books nicely arranged with chairs to settle into as you looked through the books and patterns. Nice buttons and displays that made you want to buy "one of each"! It was hard to keep the impules at bay but I only bought a few things, see...

A skein of Louet Euroflax in the colorway Aqua for a window covering from Mason Dixon Knitting. We just finished painting the tv room in "Shallow Tide" so I'm hoping it will go well. The other skein is a new yarn for me. It's Sheep Shop Yarn (#3 ) for a pair of socks. Really really pretty, silk and wool.

Our next stop was at Cranberry Fiber Arts (http://www.cranberryfiberarts.com/) in South Hamilton. This used to be primarily a quilting shop, now yarn is the focus. And pretty yarn it is. Lots of pretty yarn. My favorite is the wall of Malabrigo, I could just fondle that all day. There is yarn for just about any project. They even had some Madeline Tosh sock yarn but I'm waiting for the shipment at Butterfly yarns to come in. Patiently, I'm waiting patiently. No yarn bought here.

Our final stop (after a yummy lunch at the Wenham Tea House of course) was at Yarns in the Farms (http://www.yarnsinthefarms.com/) in Beverly. A little shop we almost drove right by. But I'm glad we didn't! What a cute funky place. It oozes charm and character. It's little but packed with wonderful yarns, buttons, books, and a cute little pooch. My hands had a hard time staying out of the cubbies, everything asked to be touched, in fact, at times some of the yarn jumped out at me begging to be fondled.

No, your eyes are not playing tricks. You do see more Brown Sheep Shop yarn, and yes, same colorway. But this is heavier weight yarn for a scarf and a hat. I just love this yarn and it's even better across the different weights. I know I'll be looking for more of this in the future. The other is a skein of KidSilk Spray in a pink/grey hue that is pretty. I'm not a lace knitter but some of my Monday Night group have inspired me so I'm going to give it a try, probably after the holidays. It's soo very soft. You might also spy a new ladybug tape measure, yup. I was enabled, thanks Mary!

I did get pictures from my son's (vet2b) friend for whom I knit a sweater. It got to him just in time as the snow was flying briefly out in Minnesota. He's been wearing it alot and IT FITS! I was worried, I've never met him and well, I was worried. But all is well.

A good day, a very good day!

My Pal

Am I not cute??

This is my guy Tobah. As the boys were moving on to college and independence I had the sudden desire to find something or someone who might need me. Enter Tobah. He's a Shiba Inu and just the best guy after all my two footed males to enter my life. He keeps me company, makes me go out for walks at least once a day, usually twice(my husband gets the other walks), makes me laugh and, well, he needs me. We had a dog when the kids were little but that did not go so well. At that time too many people needed me and it just wasn't a good fit. Unfortunately illness struck and our dog died. I said never again but I didn't realize how much I would need a dog later on down the road. I first saw a Shiba when my vet2b son was at Tufts Vet school for a camp. I didn't know what kind of dog I had seen and neither did my son but the picture stayed in my mind. I saw a few others as time went by and found out what breed it was. I had learned that they were like big cats, a bit shy, didn't always like other dogs. As I decided that we needed a dog I started looking at breeders. My son suggested http://www.petfinders.com and low and behold we found our guy. He lived with a family who loved him but due to changing circumstances they could no longer keep him. After phone calls and home checks Tobah came to us by way of NY. His real name is Octobah (October with a NY accent!) but we call him Tobah. He's been a great dog and I can't imagine our life without him. Now that the boys are pretty much on their own he has taken over one of their rooms for his. When anyone comes home and sleeps in the bed he is a bit perturbed, wondering who is taking his spot. He has quite the personality. We did have to teach him to be a Red Sox fan after living in NY but with two championships under our belts he is now a true blue Sox fan! He does shed enormously in the spring, I'm thinking we could build another dog with all the fur. Maybe I could have it spun and knit it.....

Pattern: Football from Itty Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson

Yarn: Karabella 8 (Blue) and Sirdar 4 ply for trim (Taupe)

Needle: size 7 KnitPicks: Magic Loop

Modifications: I didn't add the "sprout" on the top

This was a quick and satisfying little knitting project. I think it will be well received once the little guy is born. I'm looking forward to making some of the other cute hats from this book.

In other knitting news, the yarn for the new Christmas stockings is dry and wound and I'm almost done the first one. I hope all the excess dye was rinsed out. I'm a little afraid to block it but block it I must. Stayed tuned for the results. My scarf is moving along and the blanket is taking a back seat as it won't be needed for a bit. Not sure what other Christmas gifts I'll be making, there are always some at the last minute.

Tomorrow it's a yarn crawl with a knitting buddy. Should be lots of fun. Report to follow!

Red Sky at Night

Red Sky at Night

This was the sky tonight from my front steps. I was going around shutting the shades and happened to catch this beautiful sunset. They say this will preceed a nor'easter here on the East coast tomorrow. We were headed up to see my son in college but figure it he can wait a day. Instead we'll run around doing a few errands early in the morning then hunker down with some football and knitting. I'm addicted to the boy's college games, not that they ever played. But for some reason I like college football. So hopefully Penn State, Purdue, and UNH will be playing and we'll be watching. I have my varied projects to work on although the yarn for the stockings still isn't dry but I am almost halfway done with the little football hat (pretty appropriate) and a scarf I am knitting for a Christmas gift is sitting patiently waiting for me to pick it up.

I'm also going to make a chicken pot pie and apple crisp to take up to the college boy, two of his favorites. Our house will tantalize us with yummy smells but the food will be off limits. I'll have to come up with some comfort food for us , it won't be fair for all those smell wafting through the house if none of it is for us. I love it when the weather turns crisper and cooking is more of a pleasure.

Off to make sure everything that might fly away in the storm is put away and make a list for the groceries for tomorrow. Everybody stay dry!