thankful?

For the most part, yes. I am very thankful. I know that I am living very comfortably at this time in my life and that the future is more hopeful than not.

I am thankful that my grandmother will be with us to celebrate this upcoming holiday season. See, she fell and broke her hip this spring and went through a very long, frustrating recovery. I had never seen my grandmother cry before...I don't even remember her crying at my grandfather's funeral. She was a very strong, independent woman who had been living on her own for over a decade. But, after the fall, she wasn't able to take care of herself...and she cried because of the way the nurses were treating her at the rehab facility. I'm thankful that she found the will to get over her injury and that she is able to rest comfortably in her own home (where she has lived for over 50 years).

I'm also thankful for my BF...he's honestly the highlight of my day (everyday). He has supported me whenever I needed it and I love him for it. He has also become my best friend, sharing many of my thoughts and dreams.

At the same time, there are a few things that have happened to me this year that have left a chip on my shoulder...#1 on that list is the chip that was in my tooth. See, I am very thankful that the accident had not been worse. And, I realize that my good health will now continue into the new year and for years to come. But I can't help but still feel slighted by the police failings and some anger toward the woman who left me there to pay for this damage. My ego is also bruised every time I look at my new crown. It looks fine (very convincing even) but I know that it's something I'll have to think about for the rest of my life.

I am also left a little more pessimistic about the future of our country. I have a younger cousin who is in the Navy and fear that he might have to see the front line in the Gulf. I don't like the fact that the men and women who volunteered to defend our country are being used to establish a new government in a land where they are unwelcome.

where, oh where, are my paperwhites!?

so, one of my ideas for christmas gifts this year was to force paperwhites for my mom, my aunt and perhaps a few other people. So, I finally found a place where I could order them online for a reasonable price. I put my order in last week and have yet to receive them. I was very hopeful because this website said that they only ship Monday - Wednesday so that their plant products don't end up sitting in warehouses over weekends. Well it's Tuesday now...and if i don't get them this weekend, I'll end up with a pile of bulbs that won't bloom in time to give as gifts!

a ripping good time

I've decided that Miss Cleo will meet her end. I never got around to finishing this halter and now that winter is setting in there probably is no reason. So I'm going to reclaim the yarn and see if there is something more weather-friendly that can be made. I'm not at all sure what to do with it, but it just doesn't make any sense to pretend that I'm going to finish her.

happiness is...

a triple-grande-no-whip-gingerbread-latte! In general, I dislike Starbucks...but, a few years back they developed this holiday time drink that tastes great. I'm like an addict! I wait all year for them to bring it back into their line up and for a period of about 6 weeks (or until the stores in my area run out of the syrup) I waste my hard-earned money on these things. At the height of the shopping season I will probably take in about three of them a week. I love the flavor so much that last year I had a friend of mine who works at "the buck" get me a bottle of the syrup so I can make them at home!

And, they're back again this year. I had my first on this morning...So cheers and greetings for the holiday season!

monday morning...blah

Today is the most typical of all Monday mornings. I didn't want to get out of bed, but I did. I don't want to be at work, but here I am. I don't want to concentrate on things at work, so I blog.

The two sleeves for mom's SCC are done and I started the body yesterday afternoon. I know it's ambitious, but I'd like to have this one wrapped up by the middle of next week. I still have other gifts to get sorted out and made. At the same time, I might extend that "deadline" once I join the body and sleeves. I could start the scarf for a bus project.

1. Using one adjective, describe your current living space.
modest.

2. Using two adjectives, describe your current employer.
worldly & all American...I work for the Smithsonian.

3. Using three adjectives, describe your favorite hobby/pasttime.
knitting is (a) calming, (b) creative, & (c) kickass!

4. Using four adjectives, describe your typical day.
My days are usually long and arduous, sometimes boring, but usually fulfilling.

5. Using five adjectives, describe your ideal life.
My ideal life would be footloose & fancy-free! It would also be a neverending, highrolling, laugh-outloud good time!

Already half way

So it's Wednesday and I realized that I haven't been to my blog since last week! Well, it's been kind of a weird week. I had the day off yesterday...Veteran's Day. It was very odd going to work for one day then having a day off.

I made some progress on Mom's SSC...I'm done with the 1st sleeve and just cast on the second last night. The sleeves are perfect for taking on the bus. They aren't big and bulky and I don't have to worry about whether I keep elbowing the person next to me. The first one only took three weeks to finish. I'm hoping to make the same speed, if not better. If I can get SSC done by thanksgiving weekend, I should have enough time to concentrate on the rest of the gifts I want to make for Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas gifts. The one thing I want to make is a hat/scarf/ armwarmer set for my cousin. She's a freshman in State College and I want to make her something different...you know, not too gap/urban outfitters. So, I'm planning on going into my stash. I have some wool (inherited from a coworker) and some mohair (left over from a scarf I made last year), which I'm going to knit together. The only problem is that I don't really know how much of each I have. I might not have enough to make all three pieces. So the question is, where do I start. I'm certain I could squeeze out the hat & warmers...but I don't know if I can make all three. Or, so I start with the scarf since it's the longest piece? I would just hat to start making one of the warmers and run out then try to match the black! at the same time I want to buy as little new yarn as possible.

done and done!

That's right Sitcom Chic has been completed. I finished the knitting Monday. Then I blocked it and wove in the loose ends Wednesday. I'm even giving it a Friday debut...

I had a few parts where it got hard, but I was able to recover. (1) I had to rip about 10 rows after joining the sleeves to the body after I noticed that I had somehow "created" an extra stitch. I tried to go back and just fix the area around the problem but every row I unraveled to fix the stitch made the problem worse. The only thing I could think was that I had somehow picked SSC up and started knitting in the wrong direction. (2) My decreases after the 2nd set of garter stitch ridges wasn't the same. So, one sleeve left more stitches than the other once I finished the neck shaping. No would ever notice unless I mentioned it, so I decided to just leave it.

1. What food do you like that most people hate?
Anchovies! They get a bad wrap. And, I've got a sneaky suspicion that people only dislike them because they've never tried them.

2. What food do you hate that most people love?
Sweet potato.

3. What famous person, whom many people may find attractive, is most unappealing to you?
Penelope Cruz...I think she's kind of funny looking.

4. What famous person, whom many people may find unappealing, do you find attractive?
hmm...William H Macy oddly attractive.

5. What popular trend baffles you?
This one is easy...The short wannabe-old-school gym shorts that have stuff written across the butt.

Woohoo!

Today started out grumpy. I just hated getting up this morning. BF came home from work 2 minutes before my alarm went off so I greeted by a chilly blast of air. Then he forgot to shut the bedroom door was he went for the shower. Leaving streaks of harsh light in my face. And, to top it off, he decided to have smoothies for breakfast. And, let me tell you, there's nothing worse than a blender running at 6:30 in the morning! But things are looking up. The sun is out and it's really warm...especially for November. Let's just say I'm in a good mood. I know the weather won't last, so I've got to enjoy it for now!