Feeling the need for change, a step outside the norm. All that glorious cloudy weather awoke something in me but now that we're back to the sunny status quo, I want to be somewhere else doing something else.

Here are a few things that I've been doing...

Making breakfast for dinner on Thursday nights (hubby's night out learning how to build bikes)

Enjoying The Adventures of Polo and the accompanying website

Still considering topics for my school project

Reading The Audacity of Hope

80% done with Toasty, still haven't finished the body of February Lady (school is cutting in to my knitting time drastically)

Thinking about projects for the month of February

Daydreaming about get-aways and fancy dinners

A Valentine Party with Mama and Kidlet with Little Brothers and Sisters and 3 Fairies in their Beds

January 20th, 2009

I got to see the swearing in and about 85% of the speech but I missed Elizabeth Alexander reading her poem. Go read it. It's wonderful.

***

My class looks interesting. No tests (yay!) but I will have to lead a discussion at some point during the semester (BIG boo!). I bombed the presentation I gave last semester but I'm going with the assumption that the more I'm forced to do this sort of thing, the better I will become. The final project is only loosely defined, which is quite interesting. I'm already planning and scheming...quilters and community? Women in the 1920's? Women's magazines throughout the century? This could be good.

***

I can't be a monogamous knitter. Despite the big push to finish the sweater, I have cast on (3 times, as a matter of fact) for Toasty. I need some new fingerless mitts as the ones I wear are more of a light-duty fancy mitt and I want something to wear daily. In my cloudy state of sickness, I misread the pattern thinking I needed to put the thumb stitches on a holder at the beginning (I know, it seemed weird to me too, to be knitting from the fingers down). Well, I hadn't done that so I ripped it out. The next day I looked and saw I was supposed to knit 7.5 inches before the thumb. Oh. I started over and my yarn BROKE. I had only a tiny piece of yarn with which to join and in my anger, I ripped it out again. Third time's the charm, I hope.

I also purchased this little knit booklet. I had to buy it once I saw Poppy. She'll be cast on as soon as I get Toasty done.

This is the post where I do a little complaining and a little rejoicing.

Complaints!

1. I will be in history class tomorrow morning when history will be made. Hoping, hoping that the professor will allow us to watch instead of doing the old "here is your syllabus and the reading list" routine .

2. My eyes are small and my throat is covered in fine grit sandpaper. The crud is slowly coming my way.

3. Did not finish the body of the sweater this weekend.

Rejoice!

1. Beautiful, glorious history will be made, whether I'm watching or not.

2. I'm eating fresh, fragrant strawberries.

3. I am almost done with the body of the sweater (about 3 more inches in pattern, 1.5 inches in garter stitch).

The 5 Minute Post

It's going to be all about me and the lady this weekend (well, in between caring for my tot, grocery shopping, cleaning up around the house...you know the drill). I'm going to try and bust out the rest of the body this weekend, the last weekend before I hear school bells ringing. I think I took this photo about a week ago and now I'm down below the rib cage with the lace. I'll knit tonight, try it on tomorrow and see how much further I need to go to get to the garter edge. I'm so excited to wear my first garment, not just another accessory. Sure, I've still got sleeves to think about but it feels like I'm getting somewhere.

Haircut in 45 minutes! Yay!

Just Daydreaming...

Been daydreaming a lot lately, mostly about writing books and travel.

A Fairly Brief List

1. Got a few inches done on the sweater.
2. Purchased new socks. Lots of new socks. Many stripes and one argyle.
3. Cleaned the garage (sorta). Junk still exists, but at least one can maneuver.
4. Washed the fabric for Kidlet's doll and am on the hunt for patterns.
5. Ideas about what to do for summer vacation were tossed about.
6. Kidlet has yet another sniffle-cough.
7. Our dog, Kiko, is starting to show signs of getting old (she's 13? 14?).
8. Getting ready to make a hair appointment.
9. School starts in a week. Am I ready? Physically, yes. Mentally, no.
10. Any one know any good books about dealing with 4-year-olds with excessive attitude?
11. I'm ready for lunch.
12. Five hours of sleep = not enough.

Back on the needles again...Miss February

It's actually been on the needles for a while but I'm finally making progress. I have separated for the sleeves and am about 1.5 inches into the lace. I'm enjoying the knitting much more now that I'm out of buttonhole-and-garter-stitch land.

I've done some 'creative' sizing on this thing. I was knitting it as a size small. I tried it on (as suggested) after I knit the eyelet row and the ensuing 3 rows of garter stitch. It was HUGE. I painstakingly unknit 6 rows (I don't trust myself to just pull it off the needles and frog away without losing half of my stitches) and took the whole thing up again as a size XXS. I'm considering doing another fitting because on paper, I should be an XS (only in this sweater...in real life, I'm size large!). But then again, it was GIGANTIC and this sweater is notorious for stretching...well, maybe XXS was more of an educated choice after all.

Back soon with some thoughts (and requests for technical help!) on SEWING a doll. Yes, sewing. Something I don't really know how to do but I've somehow promised a doll for Kidlet.