The TARDIS Shawl Adventure

Fall is in the air in my little corner of the world....there's a nip in the morning, warm sunny afternoons, and cool crisp evenings. I love Fall, and always have loved it. I love the look in the autumn sky after the August haze lifts. I love watching the trees for that first hint of color. I love being able to sit comfortably on my deck in the evenings after work, knitting until it gets too dark to see. *Happy Fall Dance* A lot of my knitting time in the past couple of weeks has been in waiting rooms (Daddy's having some back issues), so it's mostly been relegated to what I refer to as my "Waiting Room Socks". I always keep a pair of "plain vanilla" socks on needles in a little bag that's easily carried into waiting rooms. The pattern is so simple that I don't need to carry it with me (except for a little 3 x 5 cheat sheet that I still use when I turn the heel to be sure I don't make a mess), and it's a great conversation starter. At home, though, I'm working on my "Bigger On The Inside" shawl, because I want to have it finished by the Doctor Who 50th anniversary celebration on November 23. I've now completed the Time Vortex Lace section and have completed 8 of 41 rows in the TARDIS section. The yarn is as close to TARDIS blue as I could get, and so far I'm very happy with my progress. As with most shawls, I won't really know how it looks until it's completed and blocked. I'm anxious to see how it finishes up!

Plain Vanilla Socks

 

 

I just bound off the "plain vanilla" socks I was knitting at the hospital, and thought you might like to see.  There's nothing cozier than handknit socks!

Knitting In High Stress Situations

Tuesday my Dad had back surgery.  Now this is not an uncommon occurance in the world.  Most men the same age as my Dad (79 last November) have had several hospital visits in their time.  But this was his very first hospital stay.

So, we were all understandably a bit on edge.  The repair that was planned involved two tiny incisions, and the surgeon was the same one who did my back repair a few years ago and did a great job with me.  That helped, of course.

The procedure went beautifully, and Dad did well.  But the surgical schedule was backed up badly on Tuesday.  He waited several hours longer than expected before surgery; he didn't go into the operating room until nearly six hours after we arrived at the hospital.  Then, because his procedure was finished so late he had to stay the night.  (He'd expected to go home after surgery.)

Needless to say, Mom and I spent a LOT of time in the waiting room with family and friends that day.  And it was slow going getting him released from the hospital the following day; we didn't get him home until 2:00 p.m.!

What kept me sane during all this waiting, wondering, and worrying?  My beloved sticks and string!  I didn't dare work on anything more complicated than "plain vanilla" socks, but keeping my hands busy kept me calm and collected.  I actually believe that Mom was able to deal with the situation better because I was calm.

It wasn't an experience I want to go through again soon, but Daddy's doing well, and I'm thankful for that.

I feel sorry for people who have to go through that without knitting in their hands!

Saturday At Last!

It's been a fairly exasperating, exhausting week; I'm always happy to see the weekend roll around, but it's particularly welcome this week!  I've been battling some sinus issues and a high level of stress at the office, so I found myself more tired than usual last night.  I actually fell asleep in the recliner and awoke at 4:00 a.m. with a vile migraine and a fever blister.  *ick*

I took migraine medication and treated my achy lip and started in on my SMHD (Saturday Morning Household Drudgery).  My energy level is suffering today, so I haven't finished my To-Do list.  But I had to take a break anyway.  I think it's time for a "Knittin', Netflix, and Nappin'" session.  *LOL*

Since I completed my mittens, I've been working a little on a couple of pairs of socks from my UFO pile.  One of them is a pair of plain vanilla socks that I've already turned the heel on and am working my way up the calf.  The other is a pair of Michigan Lake Shore socks that I'd laid asie just after starting the heel flap.  Today I want to complete the heel on those and start up the leg.  I wanted to have a couple of projects up to the "fairly mindless knitting" stage because my Dad's having back surgery Tuesday and I'll need something to knit in the waiting room that won't require me to pay a lot of attention.  Knitting is CRUCIAL to my ability to wait patiently in a situation like that.

I'm also waiting for a delivery from WEBS of yarn I've ordered to knit a blanket for my grandson.  He's coming to visit me in a few weeks, and I want him to have a blankie from me when he arrives.  *happy excited dance*

Well, time for a bit o' knittin' and a wee nap.  Have a great weekend!

Knitting in Waiting Rooms

This morning I had to run by the lab on my way to work to have some blood drawn for my regular checkup next week.  Like a lot of knitters, I keep a "go bag" near the front door with a small knitting project to take along when I leave the apartment.

My current "go bag" project is a pair of plain vanilla socks (3:1 rib, toe up, slipped stitch heel) that I can knit without looking at a pattern.  (Well, except for the heel....I always carry a cheat sheet on an index card that gives instructions for my favorite heel!)

When I arrived at the lab, I checked in with the receptionist and settled into a chair in the waiting room.  I pulled my knitting from my little bag and began knitting happily.  Within a few minutes, the waiting room began to fill with other patients.  I noticed they began to fidgit and sigh heavily after a few minutes more.  I continued to knit, comforted by the repetitive motion, the light click of the needles, and the feel of wool in my hands.

Later, as I was driving to the office, I realized that I no longer mind waiting for appointments.  In fact, if I get called in earlier than my appointed time I'm mildly disappointed.  I feel as though I've been robbed of a bit of knitting time.

Last May I slipped while hiking and broke my leg.  Mom still tells the story that when she and Daddy took me to the local Urgent Care center, I knitted while waiting to be examined.  She was stunned that I could concentrate enough to knit while in that much pain.

She's not a knitter, so she doesn't understand that knitting was probably the only reason I was able to bear the pain as well as I did.

How does knitting work this magic?  I can't speak for others, of course, but as for myself I believe it helps me center my thoughts.  As I knit and purl I feel a sense of calm serenity.  In fact, it's not unusual for me to doze off while knitting in my recliner at home.

Sure hope that never happens in a waiting room!  *LOL*

A Month??

Hard to believe that it's been nearly a month since I posted here last....this month just got away from me!! There's been a lot going on at the office, but I've been able to keep my sanity by knitting. Hooray for knitting!! *LOL* In the past month I've finished a few projects and worked on a few more:

• Soap Socks - I've been knitting these up for Christmas gifts.  Cute, fun, quick!
• Christmas Lights - I knit a set of these last year to decorate my office, but gave them away.  So, I'm knitting another set for my office.
• Zimmerman's Surprise Jacket - Adult Sized - I've knit several Baby Surprise Jackets and decided to treat myself to one.
• "Plain Vanilla" Socks - my favorite socks to knit....simple K3P1 rib on top of the foot, stockinette on the sole, good durable heel flap, and K3P1 rib on the leg.  Two-at-a-time, toe-up.  Simple, small enough to carry in your purse.  I finished one pair and started another.  Winter's coming, and I love my warm wool winter socks!
• Grandma's Favorite Dishcloth - I keep a couple of these on a circular needle all the time.  Not only are they good sturdy dishcloths, they also make nice gifts.  Everyone always appreciates them!

So that's what I've been up to, friends....now I'll close and pick up my Surprise Jacket and knit a few rows before getting back to household chores.

Have a great Sunday, everyone!

Cricket's a Year Older!

Yes, today's my birthday! I'm not going to try to hide my age, because it's probably pretty obvious that the "54" in Cricket54 is my birth year. *LOL*

It's been a good birthday, even if I did have to go to the office today. My friends at work gave me lots of lovely cards, gifts, and congratulatory e-mails. My Facebook friends showered me with birthday wishes. And I treated myself to a wonderful birthday dinner from Cracker Barrel.

So now, stuffed full and happy, I'm going to settle into my recliner with my knitting (nearly finished with the gusset on my socks) and watch one of my birthday gifts: the anniversary edition of "The Big Lebowski".

The Dude abides.

Knitting Socks: Sanity Saver!

Last weekend was a particularly rough one. Friday evening my dear little 70-plus aunt took a particularly nasty fall; she broke her nose and wound up being airlifted from her home (about two hours driving-time away from me) to the hospital only 3 miles from my apartment. I'll get to the important part first: she lost a frightening amount of blood (she's on blood thinner), she's terribly bruised and awfully sore, but she's back home now and the doctors say she's going to be okay, thank goodness!

Oddly enough, fate had prepared me better than normally. My little car was full of gas, I had plenty of cash on hand (well....plenty for me, anyway), and my Kindle was in my purse. As I ran out the door to try to beat the helicopter to the hospital, I grabbed a partially-knitted pair of socks from the basket beside my recliner and dropped them into my purse.

Because the socks I threw into my bag were my favorite "plain vanilla" socks, I was able to stand outside the trauma room while waiting for procedures to be done and knit away. (Knit 3, purl 1 on top of the foot, plain knit on the sole.) Round and round, over and over. The repetition helped center me, and I was able to be calm and reassuring when I spoke with my aunt.

Circumstances were such that she had to be transferred to another hospital; I stayed with her all night and until late Saturday afternoon. Knitting helped keep me awake and available at a moment's notice each time she needed anything. It had been YEARS since I'd pulled an "all-nighter", and knitting those plain socks was unbelievably helpful. As I told a nurse in the wee hours of the morning Saturday, knitting is cheaper than therapy. Not to mention the fact that you get some pretty interesting socks in the deal!

I'm strongly considering keeping a project bag in the car from now on, just in case of an emergency. As much as I love my Kindle (in fact, I keep tons of knitting patterns on it), reading wouldn't have been an option during a lot of the situations we dealt with over the weekend. I could knit and carry on conversations with my parents, nurses, and doctors. In fact, the knitting actually started several conversations with people, as it always does when I'm knitting in public.

If you've never knitted in public, please try it sometime. Not only is it fun and productive, you meet lots of interesting folks who are either:

1. knitters,
2. crocheters,
3. would-be knitters or crocheters,
   
4. folks with friends or relatives who are knitters or crocheters, or
   
5. folks with memories of mothers or grandmothers who were knitters or crocheters.

And so, fellow knitsters, I leave you with this advice: Knitting is therapeutic, cheap, and non-fattening. Who can ask for anything more?

Mental Health Day

I used to work with a guy who took what he called "Mental Health" days off work. He wasn't really sick, but needed a day off to avoid losing his mind. I've been working tons of extra hours lately (the Hindenburg Computer System Conversion continues), but today has been, happily, a day completely OFF from the office. And boy, did I need it.

I've spent it watching things I'd TiVo'd but hadn't had time to watch, watching "The King's Speech" on DVD (which I really liked....Colin Firth makes me tired heart go pitty-pat), and knitting a bit on some socks I've been working on a little at a time for ages. The day's nearly over....because it's been rainy today, dark will come early. And I don't even care. I'll happily go to bed at a ridiculously early hour, Kindle in hand, and read myself to sleep after a page or two.

Sometimes you just gotta take a Mental Health day. :-)

A Perfect Knitting Day

Today is a perfect knitting day! I've put a paper log in the fireplace, and as the song says "The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful!"

And trust me, the weather outside IS frightful. This morning started with a rain/snow mix which is now switching over to snow. The temperatures are predicted to drop all day today, and by tomorrow afternoon we're expecting a total snowfall of 2" to 4". Makes you feel like Christmas is coming, alright!

I have some gift wrapping to do, then I intend to settle into the recliner with something Christmassy on DVD (I'm thinking "Christmas Vacation" maybe), a steaming mug of coffee, and some knitting. Maybe I'll finish up my Scrunchable Scarf then work some more on my Eggstra Special Socks.

Don't you just LOVE days when the biggest decision you have to make is which knitting project to pull out of the basket?

Road Knittin'

I had to attend an out-of-town meeting yesterday. The location was a little over an hour away from my workplace, and luckily I was a passenger in a van full of other attendees. This meant about two-and-a-half hours of uninterrupted knitting time! *happy dance*

I knew right away that I'd need to take a project that met certain criteria:

1. It must be small enough to fit into the purse I planned to carry. I didn't want to have to keep track of anything more than one purse and my portfolio. This narrowed it down to socks.
2. It must be simple enough that I wouldn't have to reference a pattern. Too tough to balance everything on my knees in the van. Not to mention the fact that I didn't want anything that required a lot of my attention so that I could knit and carry on the conversations that were certain to ensue. *LOL*

I already had two pairs of socks that have been languishing on needles for awhile, waiting for me to finish up my Christmas knitting. So, Monday evening I rummaged in my UFO basket beside the recliner and fished them out. Unfortunately, both pairs were really close to the point that I'd need to start the heel. Not that heels are all that complicated, mind you, but I never quite trust myself to do them correctly without referencing my notes.

So, my solution was to cast on yet ANOTHER pair of socks. *LOL* Since I wanted to cast on some plain vanilla socks, I wanted to use lovely colorful stripey yarn. I chose the yummy yarn that I won in Pretty Knitty's contest back in August. I sat down to watch "Dancing With The Stars" (more about that later), cast on, and knit the toes (2-at-a-time, toe-up, Magic Loop) so that all I'd have to do during the ride Tuesday would be knit across the sole of the foot, and do my favorite K3P1 rib across the top of the foot. Wonderful mindless knitting. *happy sigh*

Tuesday morning I contentedly knit all the way to the meeting, the knit my way back home that afternoon. And now I have THREE pairs of socks waiting for completion. That's okay. Holiday knitting will soon be completed and I can get back to my true love: knitting socks.

Holiday knitting has been odd. I've thought I was finished several different times. I'd finish a project and say to myself, "There! All done now." A day or so later I'd see a neat pattern for a small project and think, "Say, that would make a nice little gift for So-and-So." I think I have only one more small gift to make. I think. Maybe the solution would be to finish up this small gift then not look at any more patterns until after the holidays.

Naaaaaaaaaah. *LOL*

Back to "Dancing With The Stars". I have to confess that there are only two reasons I watch this show. One reason is that I think Derek Hough is cute as a speckled pup under a red wagon, and I love to watch him dance. The second and biggest reason is that Mom is a fan and watches it devotedly every season. It's fun to spend a little telephone time with Mom discussing which dancers did well, and which of them sucked like a Hoover.

I will say, though, that I have a real issue with the title of the show. "Stars"??? Normally I've only heard of one or two of the contestants. Another problem I have with the show is that they allow the home audience to vote. This usually results in some of the better dancers getting booted too soon because a lesser dancer has a bigger fan base. It's not fair. It's supposed to be a DANCING competition. *climbs down from soapbox*

One of my favorite things about DWTS is that it provides lots of good knitting time. Monday nights are a two-hour show. The actual dance routines are really short, leaving lots of "don't-have-to-look-at-the-screen-just-listen" TV time, great for knitting!

A Leisurely Week Off

Last week I took my last full week of annual leave for 2010. I'll have a good bit of time off during the holidays, but this was the last full week before Christmas.

It was a fairly uneventful week, to say the least! I was battling allergies (I love Fall, but boy does it give my allergies a fit!), so a lot of my time was spent in the recliner with a remote control and knitting in my lap. Not bad for a vacation!

I managed to finish up several small projects I had in my UFO basket and completed from start to finish one charity hat and four decorative facecloths. I also got another few feet knitting on the feather and fan scarf I've been noodling along with for a long time. I completed several small Christmas gifts and am generally well pleased with the knitterly progress made. :-)

Now I need to finish up one more Christmas gift hat, another few hats for charity, and the feather and fan scarf so that I can get back to knitting SOCKS! *missing sock knitting* I still haven't started my "Egg-stra Special" socks, and I really, REALLY want to get my hands on that yummy yarn!

Speaking of which....even though I promised myself I wasn't going to indulge in any more yarn until I got rid of some of my stash, I caved and bought a couple of skeins of some lovely yarn at my LYS that should work up into a nice Baby Surprise Jacket. (As if I need yet another project right now...*LOL*)

Have I mentioned how much I'm enjoying the knitting guild meetings I've been attending? I love knitting at home in the recliner, but it's so great to talk to other knitters about what we're all doing and picking up tips from them. They're a great group, and I'm having a great time!

Well, lunch break's over now, so I'll get my nose back to the grindstone. Happy knitting, everyone!

"Egg-stra" Special Sock Kit

When I checked my mail yesterday afternoon, I found the that "Eggstra" Special Sock Kit I won in IdaW's contest on her blog, The Evolving Sock Knitter, had arrived. Such beautiful yarn! As I ran my fingers over it and squeezed it gently, I thought of the Yarn Harlot saying that when someone insensitively comments on your yarn stash you should say (while stroking the yarn), "Yarn? This isn't yarn. These are my kittens." *LOL*

The pattern is written top-down, and I've been knitting toe-up two-at-a-time for a good while now. When I checked my needle stash I found that the last time I'd knit top-down using DPNs, I was still using size 2 or 3 needles. With time I've drifted down to a size 1, so I'm going to treat myself to a set of size 1 DPNs before I start knitting the kit.

I don't mind using DPNs at all; in fact, it kind of gives me a feeling of reconnecting to my ancestors. I imagine them knitting away with a hand-wound ball of yarn and a porcupine of needles sticking out of a half-completed woolen sock. I don't even mind closing the toe with the much-maligned Kitchener stitch. I think it's magical to watch that opening close up without a trace!

The only reason I usually knit socks using Magic Loop, two-at-a-time, toe up is so that I can finish both socks at the same time. I also enjoy knitting on one long circular needle so that if I drop my work I don't have to worry about losing one of my double-point needles.

But because this pattern is written top-down, I'll knit them on DPNs and enjoy the experience. Of course, to prevent myself from going nuts at my local yarn shop, A Likely Yarn, or online at KnitPicks, I'll have to hope that WalMart has a set of size 1 DPNs hanging on the rack!

Oho, the Wells Fargo Wagon is A-Comin' Down the Street

Oh please let it be for meeeeeeeeee! (If you don't understand that reference, you need to watch "The Music Man". *LOL*)

The FedEx tracking site says that my KnitPicks order is "out for delivery". So, this means I might or might not get it today. Here's why: the final leg of the FedEx delivery is passed off to the local post office. Depending on which mail carrier is delivering mail in my neck of the woods today, he or she will either 1) leave the package on my doorstep (which I requested in writing long ago) or 2) take it back to the post office and leave a little note in my mailbox telling me that I can pick up the package after 8:00 tomorrow morning.

The suspense would be maddening if I wasn't so terribly busy today. *L*

Oh, I must tell you about my latest knitting disaster. Well, not really a disaster, I guess since it's not of earth-shattering importance, but a GOOF all the same! Last night I finished my latest incarnation of the knitted Swiffer cloth. It was looking really, really great, and I was happier than I'd been with any of the previous versions I'd knitted (this was the fourth one in the series). I finished it up while watching TV, hid the ends, and happily slipped it on my Swiffer.

It was too long. *beating head on monitor* WHY didn't I check it before I sewed up the pocket seams and hid the ends? Dunce. Total dunce. I checked the width, but not the length.

Soooooooooo....last night I cast on the fifth one, making adjustments that I think will work. You can bet, though, that after a reasonable number of rows have been completed I'll be holding the next one against the Swiffer to see if I'm on the right track. Dunce.

I brought my little gray socks to work with me today so I can knit a bit on them while munching my lunch. So, I'll cut this entry short so I can hopefully finish reknitting the toes today!

I Won Again!

I can't believe it, but I've won another contest! *happy dance* IdaW of The Evolving Sock Knitter ran a contest on her wonderful blog to give away two Trekking "Egg-stra" Special Sock Kits. This sock was designed by Rosemary “Chappy” Chapman in honor of Susanne Skacel, a three-year survivor of ovarian cancer. The yarn in the kit is a glorious shade of teal that was dyed to match the color of the ribbons used to represent support for the fight against ovarian cancer.

WEBS and Skacel Collection, Inc. are both donating the entire proceeds of the sale of these kits ($25 per kit) to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer Research. I know that lately it seems like everyone's been asking for donations, but if you have any funds left in your yarn stash, maybe you'd like to have a look at this beautiful sock kit by clicking HERE and considering placing an order.

Thanks so much, IdaW, for giving me the opportunity to put my name "in the hat" for this terrific giveaway!

Christmas in July, and another BSJ

Saturday I received my "Christmas in July" present I won on Pretty Knitty's blog....such fun! She sent me two skeins of lovely sock yarn (that'll be my next pair cast on!), some Cascade 220 with Kool-Aid to use to dye it (more about that later), some little butterfly note cards, a sample of skin cream, a keychain calculator, and a beautiful row counter set with stitch markers. So much great stuff!!

Yesterday I decided to dye the Cascade 220; this was my first attempt to dye yarn, and it was sooooooooo much fun! I used the microwave method to dye it with the Kool-Aid, and it's turned out to be a beautiful variegated blue. Now I just have to decide what I'm going to knit with it! Maybe a skinny scarf for myself. I've given away all but one of my scarves that I've knit; the only one I've kept is the very first one I knit, so maybe it's time to knit another one to keep. :-)

I've finished my second Baby Surprise Jacket, and am very pleased with the results. In fact, I've already cast on a third one, using Pretty Knitty's row counter and stitch markers on it. The next BSJ is white with wee splashes of pale blue and green. I think it will work up very nicely. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. :-)

I have to admit that I was completely befuddled by the Baby Surprise Jacket pattern (no offense to the genius of Elizabeth Zimmerman, who would have been 100 years old today), and am just amazed and delighted that I've now (with the help of the Ravelry group) completed two of them. It's been so much fun to learn!

I managed to knit on my plain vanilla socks during my lunch break today. I've decided that the only way I'm going to get in any sock knitting time is to carry my socks to work instead of the Baby Surprise Jacket. On the current week, I have a grand total of 30 minutes sock knitting time. Pitiful, just pitiful. I'm KNITTING, mind you, just not knitting much on socks. This will change, of course. But for now my sock knitting time is looking really sad.

A Good Weekend to Be Indoors

It's awfully hot in my corner of the world, so I've elected to stay indoors and enjoy the air conditioning today! A little while ago I finished another pair of baby socks made with the leftovers from my latest pair of Dragonfly Socks. Aren't they cute?

This afternoon I'm going to work some more on the Baby Surprise Jacket. Since this is my first BSJ, I like to be near my computer while working on it in case I need to check out something on the Ravelry group.

I'm hoping the next one will be easier. *LOL*

Camping and Knitting

Last weekend I had another great camping adventure with lots of relaxing and knitting time. I finished my second pair of Dragonfly Socks (see my sock-knitting blog for photo), and knitted a bit on a Purly Lace Swiffer Cover.

Not only is the Swiffer cover a pretty simple project to work on, but I think it will make good small Christmas gifts, too. I'll let you know later how the pattern works up. I'm doing this first one in Peaches 'n Creme dishcloth cotton in the Juanita Rose colorway. It's looking pretty good so far.

I've also started a Baby Surprise Jacket. It's my first Elizabeth Zimmerman pattern, and all I can say is "Thank goodness for Ravelry!" If not for their BSJ group, I'd be completely lost! Zimmerman is a knitting icon and no doubt was a genius, but her pattern writing style assumes that I know a lot more than I know. *LOL*

I didn't work much on the baby jacket while I camped; I knew that I'd probably need to consult with Ravelry and had plenty to work on with my socks and Swiffer cover anyway. I just took it along in case I got bored with my other projects. Much like my habit of carrying more than one book on a trip.

Now I've started another pair of baby socks with my leftover yarn from my Dragonfly socks. I think everyone who's learning to knit socks should start with baby socks. You can learn the basics of sock construction without getting into mind-numbing stretches of knitting the same pattern for rows and rows and rows while working your way up the leg.

Speaking of which, I'll close for now (on my lunch break) so I can knit a bit before having to get back to work. *LOL*

Dischcloths Finally Finished!

I've knitted all 12 and just need to block them a bit to even them up, then tie them into little packages of 2 each and tie a little gift tag on them. I'm trying to settle down a headache this morning, but hope to get that finished up this afternoon.

Finally, back to my Dragonfly socks!

STILL Knitting Dishcloths

Okay, how bored am I with knitting dishcloths? VERY. I am kicking myself for promising a dozen and then waiting so long to get started. Even knitting them two at a time in varied hues isn't helping.

I got so bored with them over the weekend that I laid them aside and knitting a bit on baby socks (see my sock-knitting blog, link at right). But even while enjoying that little respite, the dishcloths were looming over my head like a cloud of doom.

Okay, maybe it wasn't quite THAT bad, but let's just say I'll be really glad to finish them up. I have cloths 9 and 10 nearly finished, so that'll leave just one more pair. I'm going to try to finish them up this week in the evenings after work so I can work on something FUN over the weekend.

I don't even want to think about the fact that it's nearly time to start Christmas knitting. I still haven't finished my last pair of summer socks!! And it's JULY for cryin' out loud!

It's time like these that I have to sit back, take a deep breath and remind myself that I knit for fun and relaxation. After all, I'll have another camping trip coming up soon, and that should provide enough knitting time to finish up that last pair of summer socks. I might even have time to knit up some more baby socks while I'm in the tent.

So.....next on the agenda is to decide what I'm knitting for Christmas, make sure the yarn is either in the stash basket or ordered in a timely fashion, and give myself plenty of time to work on the projects without putting myself in a bind.

Yeah. Right. ;-)