Hello!!

We are still around. It has been a very busy Spring. I have 17 more work days until retirement. I am soooo excited. Fonzie and I have big plans ... sleeping late ... playing on the computer ... sleeping later ... drinking coffee ... sleeping late ... I'm sure you get the picture!! Actually, we have a bunch of house projects that are screaming work on me first!!! More later and soon, I promise.

Not Knitting

OK ... Fonzie and I have not fallen off the face of the world!! I finally had to bite the bullet and have surgery on my right hand thumb joint at my wrist. The surgeon (who is GREAT) had to remove bone, move a tendon, create a blood clot to fill in a space and cut and reattach a tendon in my arm to my thumb. I can move my thumb without pain. But, this is a slow healing process and it will be several months before I have "normal" use. And on that note ......

KNITTER'S BEWARE
Please be gently with your hands and treat them nicely. The hand surgeon told me that now I will have to perform a task for about 15 minutes and then move to a another task so my hands can work in a different pattern. For those that know me, I am the kind of person that if I start something I work until it is finished even if it is hours. So, I have over the years just worn my joints out. The left hand is headed toward surgery. Hopefully, by being very careful, I can keep that hand from getting worse. So, from sewing, to washing dishes, to sweeping to knitting, take care of your hands!!

There is going to be a new baby in our office. We are all excited. When I got the news my first thought was I need to knit something pink! Now, I'm not one to try to "guess" and be all knowing. But, every time we have talked about this baby, we have all talked "pink". So, in cruising around, I have found the most darling site, Little Cotton Rabbits. This person knits bunnies, monkeys, elephants, teddy bears, and they are all precious. Precious beyond belief!!! So cute that I have taken her advise and ordered not one but two of Debbie Bliss knitting books ... Knitting Bears and Knitting Toys. The books will be here March 25Th and I can't wait. Only trouble is ...I still can't knit for a few months. Bummer. But, this little babe won't arrive until October. So, hopefully I can get at least one little cutie knitted.

The Process

I don't ever set a goal and say something like, "I'm going to knit or stitch a complete whatever every week this year or every month this year". I know some folks always have a stitching goal. Well, I have a goal and it is to just enjoy the process. I don't really need to knit or stitch (heavens forbid that I said that). But, think about it, we are not crossing the Plains in a covered wagon. Everything I need can be purchased. So, why do I knit?

It has to be the process. It has to be the colors of yarn, the feel of the material slipping through my fingers. The process of taking a string and making fabric that is soft and warm. The process of getting comfy on the couch with Fonzie cuddled up beside me. Yes, it is definitely the process.

Make a snow flake

I am so glad our oldest daughter was born in January as we get to have another celebration in the middle of the winter. I have her knitted birthday item almost finished. I'll post a picture after her b-day.

Make sure you go to the side bar and create a snowflake. It is really neat to see the results. Speaking of snow, will we get snow tonight??

I love the knitting needle containers shown on Knitting Souls Together. I think I will rearrange all my needles. That should take several hours (or days)!!!

And why am I posting this in the middle of the day in the work week? I came home yesterday with a whopping sinus infection. So ,after the trip to the DR, two shots and a handful of meds ... Fonzie and I settled on the couch for a long snooze. I feel some better today but thought I needed a rest to knock this out.

Friday we start knitting at the H.B. Stamps Library in Rogersville. I can't wait to see everyone and start on a new project. Or I could work on a UFO. Heaven forbid if I actually got something finished from years ago!!

Christmas 2008

I love Christmas. I love everything about Christmas. I love all the trimming, all the tinsel, all the magic, all the "stuff". I just love Christmas. And, I love being on Holiday especially since that means that I can sit here in my new counting sheep pj's and sip on a steaming cup of hot coffee at 11:57am and not worry basically about anything!

We have had a huge, wonderful, glorious Christmas. Our Church is decorated with greenery and ribbons with candles. It is just gorgeous and so very touching. Our grandson was a shepherd in the children's play. He stood (this is the wiggle child)perfectly still and looked at the baby Jesus the whole entire play. And, he was a toy soldier in his school play. Costume by "me ... and friends"!!!!

We have enjoyed the company of family and friends. And the eats (or should I say the sweets) which have totally taken over the kitchen counter. We have played with new gadgets and tried our hands and bodies (LOL) at games and competitions ... we got a Wii!! We have new puzzles and books to ponder over during quite times. And yes, Fonzie and I do have a bit of knitting on the needles.

Did I mention that we have a Scottie Dog Christmas tree? It is a 7 foot tree in the foyer. It is decorated with older solid red, green and gold ornaments, counted cross stitch ornaments and Scottie dog ornaments with plaid ribbon wrapped around the tree. Actually one of 6 Christmas trees. Like I said, I love Christmas and all the trimmings. We have a Peanuts Tree with lots of Snoopy's and the main tree which has all kinds of ornaments from hand made to collectibles. Then in the kitchen there is the Santa tree and in the den we have two trees that are covered in Hershey Elves and Hershey Kiss collectibles.

I love Christmas even the picking up and packing away which will not happen for a few more days. We have one more family gathering to go after New Year's Day. So, a few more days to enjoy and cherish this wondrous season.

Fonzie and I decided that we needed to carefully plan our knitting and homemade gift giving. So, this year we only have two projects that did not make it under the tree. But, technically one was started on Christmas Eve morning and stopped as we decided we did not have enough stitches to fit over the curly head of the wiggle boy! And, the other gift was really a "just when I get it finished I will give it gift". Of course, after Christmas, we have started on another gift to give but this is a January birthday. We have 9 days to get this item finished.

Three rows knitted ... four rows out!!

Why is it when you can just fly along knitting that you suddenly look down and realize ... oh no ...a mistake!!! And of course it is not a mistake on the row that you are knitting or the row you just finished. It is at least 5 rows below like a blinking neon light. How come it didn't blink when it was stitched incorrectly? Oh, no one would ever notice. But, you would notice cause you know it is there, and it is blinking! So goes the story of knitting at our house the past couple of days .... three rows knitted, four rows out!!

Current projects are varied: an almost finished Christmas present knitted in a wonder Merino Wool, a ready to start Christmas present, the second Special Olympics scarf and the decreasing of the crown of five Chemo Caps. The Chemo Caps are from a conference where participants gave a few minutes of their time to knit. Several folks learned to knit and some renewed their knitting skills. In a couple of short hours we had 15 caps.

I truly believe in giving to the community and in doing so you reap great benefits. It is wonderful to be able to give so freely of a hobby to others and see their appreciation. Knitting gives the knitter an opportunity to count not just stitches but their blessings. The peace in knitting allows the knitter to work through problems and really think about solutions not just sit and worry.

My very first ever knitting project was a very bright yellow potholder. I'm thankful that I had a Brownie Scout Leader that took the time to teach 17 little second graders. Can you imagine the patience that woman had? Thanks, Mrs. Maxwell.

A little update on the Fonz ... he has had an ear infection which ended up in a trip to the vet. He is all better now. Next week he has a haircut. But, with the temperature dropping rapidly, I think we shall just have a slight trim. He is all curled up on the couch dreaming sweet dogie dreams. And, yes he is laying next to my knitting, or rather our knitting!!

Special Olympics Knitting

Well, we finished another project ... a scarf for the 2009 Special Olympics. This was a very quick knit using Red Heart yarn. The pattern was February 15th Houndstooth Pattern from a pattern a day calendar. The colors are 0885 Delft Blue and 0311 White. The scarf should measure 5 3/4 by 60 inches. The only problem is this scarf rolls up ... it does not lay flat as my Mom did not add an edging. But, it is still cute and most important ... finished!!!

We really have not been knitting as much as I like (to cuddle). The EZ Surprise Baby Sweater is still on the needles but no progress as Mom has a brain snap poo and has one side off 1 to 3 stitches!! It think we are going to start another Special Olympics scarf as they need 5000 and last count we heard they had 1000. So, we might do one more and hopefully it will be flat. You think??

Then there is Christmas knitting ... or the lack of!! We know we will be knitting a gray wool blend scarf for a family member and other than that we have no thought. We don't even have anything picked out for the little man (grandson - my little buddie). But, as long as it is red he will be happy.

We did clean up the craft room ... you know Mom should take a picture as it really is clean and organized for the moment until she starts looking for something!! She found some cross stitch patterns that she has been wanting to stitch for Christmas. If she started now do you really think she could get one finished and hanging on the tree by Christmas 2008?? We'll see but don't hold your breath!!