Holiday Round-Up

2 For 1

The Dillon sweater is done . . .

 . . . and so is the Right Right Now cowl . . . 

We'll see what shows up on the needles next !

Right Right Now !

Sometimes, patients say things that crack me up !

Like one day a few months ago, when an elderly man was late for his appointment . . . 

we were able to get ahold of his twenty-ish year old grandson, who told us that his

grandfather had gotten confused about the appointment time.  Our schedule had a little

leeway that day, so we said that if he came right over to the office, we could still see him.

The grandson says:  "Grandpa, if you leave right now, they can still see you.  

But you have to leave right now . . . RIGHT RIGHT NOW !"

It just made me laugh . . . and the phrase has made its way into my rotation !!

So when I was pumping gas the other night, in the freezing cold, I thought:

"Man, I could really use that cowl right now !"

And the Right Right Now Cowl was born !!!

A quick and easy knit, it should be off the needles & around my neck in no time !!

#3

So I got my third tattoo . . . !

It's the word "Joy" in Arabic, on my wrist . . .

and I love it !

I guess it's true what they say:

you can't get just one !!!

Leafy Loveliness

"Delicious Autumn !

My very soul is wedded to it.

And if I was a bird I would fly about the earth

seeking successive autumns."

- George Eliot -

Wool & Football

I got me some new wool !!

It feels so great to work with it again !  

I've got a new sweater on the needles, too . . . 

getting ready for cooler weather !!! 

(my new yarn is perched on our new Adirondack chairs 

that Jack's grandfather made . . . aren't they gorgeous ?!?!!)

I've dubbed this my Dillon sweater.  

It has nothing to do with the color, the design, or anything like that . . . 

just an ode to our new favorite TV show, "Friday Night Lights" !

It's set in the fictional town of Dillon, Texas, and follows the story 

of a high school football coach, his family, his team, and the town.

We completely fell in love with this show !!!

Even though it lasted 5 seasons, it wasn't enough . . . I miss them !

So, we make a Dillon sweater !

  If I liked football & actually went to a game, 

I might need a sweater like this one . . . !!!  Until then,

I'll just keep knitting and replaying the show !!!

Getting My Mojo Back

This summer has been a bust as far as knitting is concerned !

The tank top I started back in May just didn't work out.  It was 99% finished when I
decided to just rip it all out.  I wasn't happy with it from the beginning, & I wasn't
any happier when I finished it, either !!  It wasn't a relaxing project, and it became
a chore . . . not exactly what a hobby is supposed to do for you, right ?!!!

So, the yarn is now destined for another project . . .
 hopefully a better one . . . next spring, perhaps !!!




I needed to get back to wool, and get a bit of my knitting mojo back . . .


 

so I dubbed this one my "Mojo Hat" !!!


 

Quick . . . easy . . . happy !


We'll see what turns up on the needles next !!!

15

A Little British Invasion

Seems like I've been in a British state of mind lately.

I'd picked up a few copies of the British edition of Country Living magazine over the years,

and really loved it.  And now that the US edition of Country Living seems to be heading

in a bit more modern direction, I find myself more drawn to the Brits and their aesthetic . . . 

(both from the June 2012 issue)

So lovely !!!

I also started watching Downton Abbey recently, and have just loved it !

It's rare that I have my own show to watch . . . Jack & I watch most shows together, 

and he has his own cartoons & sci-fi stuff . . . but this one's just mine !

I love the setting (duh !), and the characters & story lines are great ! 

 I have a few more months of waiting until season 3 starts, though.

Until then . . . 

. . . we'll see what other British things invade !

"Makes Me Smile" Monday

"Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability."

- Sam Keen -

Indeed !!

The Cotton Won't Cooperate

My latest knitting project has been on the needles about a month now.  I found this lovely

lilac shade of yarn, and dubbed this piece the "Highland Park" tank, in honor of the

park where Rochester's Lilac Festival takes place each year !

And while I usually work with wool, I thought I'd take the chance to work on a summer

project in a different material & bought this ultra pima cotton yarn . . . it's hard

to tell from the picture, but the yarn has a really pretty sheen to it !

However, this cotton & I just don't seem to be getting along !  Pretty as it is,

this yarn shows every little glitch, mistake, and inconsistency !  I'm usually a 

pretty even, consistent knitter . . . but it feels like this yarn shows if you 

even breathe on it wrong !!!  Ugh !

Hopefully, once it's done, a trip through the washing machine & dryer 

will cure all ills !!  Fingers crossed !  After that, I think I'll be back to wool !

Berry Bliss

Amazed They Come Back

I planted these foxgloves about 5 years ago, and continue to neglect them

(didn't turn out to be the gardener I thought I'd be !) . . . 

 . . . but they come back every year regardless, looking lovely !

In Its Place

It Had To Come Home With Me

Finished !

Why It Takes Me So Long To Finish A Sweater

Days Like These Require Sugar

It's been like "The Twilight Zone" at work lately.

And consuming large amounts of sugar is the key to coping

(for some of us, at least) !!! After all,

STRESSED spelled backwards is DESSERTS !!!

So I made these:

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars !

Awesome !!!

Enjoying Spring

Jam & Azaleas

So, the "Jam Hands" sweater is finally done !!!! YAY !

(here's a view of the back . . . have yet to get a good picture of the front !)

And of course, a new sweater is on the needles, with this yarn . . .

It's been dubbed the "Azalea" sweater . . . love this color !!!!

Sunspots

Still Here & A Little Link Love

I'm still here !!!

As you can see, my little photo challenge didn't last very long . . . only 8 days !

I was enjoying it and all, but it's difficult & frustrating to take pictures

after work and in dark/bad lighting . . . I need some sunlight !

Maybe I'll try again during the summer, when the days are brighter & longer !

No new knitting projects to report . . . still working on the

"Jam Hands" sweater ! It's almost done & looking good . . .

I'm just ready to move on to something else !!

So, since I have nothing really to show or say,

I'll leave you with a picture of my favorite furry boys,

and some link love . . . .

* I made these cookies for Valentine's Day . . . . BIG YUM !!!

* I love this blog . . . everything is just lovely, especially this post !!!

* When I saw this, I decided it should be pinned to my sleeve !!!!

Happy Monday !!!

Day 8: A Bad Habit

I stack & pile up my clothes . . . and take forever to put them away !

Tagged !

I was tagged by the lovely Amy with this little meme !

I'm not going to completely play by the rules

(I'm not tagging anyone else), but otherwise . . . . . !

Here goes . . .

11 Random Things About Me:

1. I hate repetitive noises (foot tapping, pen clicking, etc.) --- this is a tough one, since I'm married to a drummer who is constantly tapping with his fingers !!

2. When I was little & my mom was trying to give me a bath, I would run around naked yelling "Nudo, nudo !" I don't do that anymore . . . !!!!!!

3. I'm a little OCD . . . when I put on my make-up, the front of the foundation bottle has to be facing me . . . when I unload the dishwasher, the "fresh" dishes have to go on the bottom of the stack (for equal wear & tear on the dishes . . . duh !) . . . and so on ! It won't wreck me if things aren't done this way . . . they just won't be done the "right" way !!! Uh oh . . . now you think I'm psycho . . . !

4. When I laugh really hard, my eyes water like I'm crying . . . and sometimes I snort, too !!!

5. I drink about 100 ounces of water every day.

6. Even though I was a nationally-ranked gymnast, I always have been & always will be a total klutz !!!

7. I almost got kicked out of church camp once !

8. I don't share well (I'm an only child . . . what d'ya want ?!?!!!!!!) !!

9. I'm terrible with song lyrics and titles . . . I get them completely wrong !!!

10. I'm always cold . . . . I even cover up with a blanket when it's 80+ degrees outside !!

11. I've tried to read the book "Middlemarch" twice . . . and never made it to the end !!

(Proof of #2 !!!!)

Questions to answer:

1. What was your most embarrassing moment ? I honestly can't think of one . . . I try to fly under the radar, so maybe it's working . . . or maybe my moment hasn't happened yet ?!?!?!!!

2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be ? So many choices . . . England is lovely, and so is British Columbia . . . but tropical would be nice . . . can't decide !

3. Do you regularly dust your blinds ? Nope !!

4. What do you like best about yourself ? That after many years of insecurity, I'm finally content in my own skin & in my own life !

5. Do you have a celebrity crush ? If so, who ? Wentworth Miller is still my #1 celebrity crush, with Alex O'Loughlin a close 2nd !!!

6. What is your favorite Bible verse ? 1 Thessalonians 4:11,12

7. Do you lie about your weight on your driver's license ? Nope.

8. What's your worst pet peeve ? I can only choose one ??!?!?!! See my #1 random thing !

9. Who is your favorite musician ? Over The Rhine

10. Do you return your grocery cart to the designated area ? Always !

11. What would your ideal day entail ? A day with my boys (Jack & the cats !), filled with knitting, reading, sweet eats . . . oh wait, that's our typical "lazy Sunday" !! I'm easy to please !

There . . . done & done !!!!

Day 7: Fruit

Day 6: From A Low Angle

I'm using a lot of these lately . . .

Between the dermatology treatment on my foot

that's left me blistered & walking funny . . .

and the meeting of my new Cutco knife with the tip of my thumb

that resulted in a trip to Urgent Care during the Super Bowl . . .

I clearly need to buy stock in Band-aids !!!!!

Good times !