Thursday, December 27, 2007

Christmas Knitting????!!!!

Who actually finishes Christmas knitting on time anyway? Oh, sure, it all starts with good intentions. The carefully selected yarns and colors....the perfect pattern for the right person. I have it all laid out in my head. If I can get these mittens done this week, I can finish all 183 sweaters and those socks by next week. It sounds rational. To me. In the twisted little part of my mind that handles time management....at least until Christmas Eve. I have never been good at my to-do Christmas knitting lists. Always putting my ambition in overdrive and being disappointed when I couldn't finish on time...never mind the fact that my lists are as long as a roll of toilet paper and would scare the be-jeeezus out of even Martha Stewart. I was secretly glad that when she came out of prison she had only her poncho to show for it. When I found out she was knitting I feared she would put us other knitters to shame with the sheer volume she would produce. I was relieved she didn't step out gifting pairs of socks and scarves to reporters and nearby homeless. I know...it's an ugly side of me. I am not proud. But, it didn't offer reprieve from my mania. Still, years later, I sit here and work on my Christmas knitting (pared down to a few wash cloths and some mittens) on the 27th of December. There's always next year.







These are some convertible mittens from Never Knit Your Man a Sweater* *unless you've got the ring by Judith Durant. I have used this book previously on researching argyle socks. They are Christmas presents for a friend of ours that plays bass. He mentioned one time a couple of years ago that he would love to have convertible mittens that would also open on the thumb so he could feel the bass neck when he plays outside. I am morphing the pattern just a bit. He also has extraordinarily large hands. Maybe, New Year's presents?????? No, you can't see the wash cloths. I actually finished them on time.

I got out of the house tonight and went down to Dallas to Passion Knit to spend a gift certificate I got in March!!!!( Yes, E., it's the one you gave me.) Even got out of my pajamas. That is a big feat for me between Christmas and New Year's Day when I relegate every spare moment to knitting, quilting, sewing and watching the news channels 23 1/2 hours a day. Yes....yet another small issue of mine. Another day we will discuss that one. Anyhow, I will have you know I do put on clean pajamas and brush my teeth. Yeeee! I digress.




The store has a nice selection of novelty yarns as well as a lot of typical designer yarns we all look for when we knitters (yarn snobs) enter a yarn store. It is a neat lay-out with a loft upstairs perfect for sitting and knitting. Starbucks close by. A 30% off sale. What more could one ask for? A must on your Dallas knitting shop tours.....I was able to come away with a couple of lace Addi needles and some Shi Bui Silk Cloud. It is very much like Kidsilk Haze but with much more yardage. It is 60% mohair and 40% silk where Kidsilk is 70/30. I imagine it will have more of a halo on it. I am thinking Icarus shawl or maybe even....this.

V's brother from Germany is here visiting for 3 weeks so we have been doing a few touristy things we never get to do..or just don't do...on our own. I have seen more sporting goods stores than I knew existed. Do you know some of them have live fish and ducks in them???? Oh yeah. I actually have a yearning to tie flies now. No, nevermind there are no places to fly fish near here...or that I don't even fly fish. Hell, I would even get a bow and arrows if I didn't have this clutzy streak...but we all know that could only end in a hospital visit and some kind of blood letting. Mine or an unsuspecting neighbor. So, I refrain for now.....I hope when we take him to the Ft. Worth stockyards I don't have a sudden need to cow wrestle or bull ride. We took his mom there a few years ago to see the cattle drive. I have seen too much TV and cattle drive to me involves danger and fast moving herds. I had Pamplona-esque visions. What were these people doing in the street!!!!!! After yelling for people to move off of the street and onto the sidewalk ( I was saving lives) I saw the first hundred year old cow round the corner in a wheelchair. Nothing like being in a geriatric cow stampede. I was humiliated. That's the last time I save anyone's lives.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Meme

I got tagged by email on this one...but could not resist making a meme and tagging all of you who are reading this. Bwaaahhhahahahahaha



1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper and tull and as much crap as I can load onto the present. The wrapping is half of the fun. It distracts from the inside. *See #13.

2. Real tree or Artificial? Real....decorating is another thing.

3. When do you put up the tree? After the gigs are over and all the trees we can still purchase either look like Charlie Brown trees or are as dry as the Mojave. I live fairly close to the Fire Department.

4. When do you take the tree down? March is always good.

5. Do you like egg nog? Not really.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A large purple stuffed horse named Silver. Go figure. I threw a fit at the airport when they wanted to put him in a plastic bag in the cargo hold. I thought he would suffocate. My mom ended up buying another plane ticket for him to shut me up.

7. Do you have a nativity scene? No.

8. Hardest person to buy for? My step dad.

9. Easiest person to buy for? me....no... V, most definitely.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Usually too late.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? huh. It will come to me. Can't remember. Must be blocking it.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Well...Rudolph, of course, because I am in love with the Abominable Snowman. It's the hair. I have always been a hair girl.

13. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Do I have to answer that?

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Cookies, fudge....hell. What ISN'T my favorite thing to eat?

15 Clear lights or colored on the tree? Everything.

16. Favorite Christmas song? Bring a Torch Jeannette, Isabella....at least the tune.

17 Travel at Christmas or stay home? Depends on the year.

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers? Wow! Do we all sing this song to remember them??? hahahah You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixon, Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen but do you recall the most famous reindeer of all, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Both.

20. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Traffic, hands down.

21. Favorite ornament theme or color? Purple and blue light. Christmas elves and pixies in Japan ceramic. Call me crazy.

22. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Fried fish. I kid you not. That's what we have.

23. What do you want for Christmas this year? For my family to just get through it this year and look forward to a new and better year..

24. Who is most likely to respond to this? Michele

25. Who is least likely to respond to this? No one, because gifts may depend on this. Everyone got that? ;0)