Who Can You Trust?

News Flash:  There’s a contest in this post!

As you can tell, I’ve been thinking very profound thoughts today.  Trust is an issue for most people.  First, there are huge corporations being bailed out, and they’re giving out huge bonusus.  Now I don’t talk about politics on this blog, but I’m pretty sure that nobody is happy about the bonusus except the undeserving execs that are getting them.

Then you read the paper.  There are cases every day of someone having their identity stolen.  Or a gazillion credit cards are compromised by a security breach.

I could go on and on, but instead I have to tell you what happened to me today.  I still don’t believe it.

I had someone ask me for my address last week.  It was someone I had met online.  Now before you judge me and tell me how stupid I am, let me tell you the rest of the story.  This person was really slick.

I gave my address to a stranger.

Look what I got in the mail today.  I never saw it coming.  I’m a very trusting person, you know.

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I got this gorgeous, hand knit shawl.  Nobody has ever given me a hand knit anything.  Look closer at these perfect stitches.

It’s a color I love and wear a lot of.  My nail polish usually matches.  My lipstick matches.  Even my mannequins hat accent matches.

Helen sent me this.  And I’ve never met her.  We’ve been blog friends for a while.  I don’t even remember when we started leaving each other comments.  I’ve talked to her on the phone a few times.  We co-moderated Seasons of Lace, along with Alyse.  (They did all the work!)    But I’ve never met her.

Thank you so much, Helen!

And because she was so generous, I’m having a contest.  Leave a comment at the end of this post and tell Helen why she’s so wonderful.  Also, I need ideas of what to do for her in exchange.  (No, I’m not sending her on a cruise to the Caribbean!)    On Monday night, Feb 2nd at midnight central time, I will randomly choose one person to send a prize to.  What’s the prize?  I have no idea.  I just thought this contest up as I was sitting here.  I’m sure it will be yarn or knitting related.  And, at that time, I will also figure out a way to say thank you to Helen.

Oh, in case you’re wondering why I didn’t model this gorgeous new shawl myself, let me show you what I’m wearing at 2 PM!

Um, yes!  You’re seeing coffee cup pajamas, with an old sweatshirt over it and jeans underneath.  I couldn’t bring Frankie to school with bare legs when it’s 5 degrees out, could I?  I’m not that crazy.  (I was hoping that making the photo long and skinny would do the same for me.  Didn’t work!)

Oh, and Helen….I have the border of Madli’s Shawl done.  That’s what I did this morning.

If you look really closely you can see clear beads.  I’m not doing nupps this time.

I have to go.  I need to get dressed before I pick Frankie up from school!

Messy

Here’s my latest mess of yarn.  This is what I’ve knit on the last few days.

See the orange tweed at the bottom of the photo?  That’s a test knit for Susan Pandorf.  It will get its own reveal in a few days.  Susan designs the most gorgeous things, and this project is no exception.

The bright green is another Gathered Scarf.  It’s for Ms In Charge.  The other half of the scarf will be hot pink to match her new coat.

The aqua is Amelia.  I’m knitting the body in one piece and I’m nearing the armholes.

The cone of white yarn is Madli’s Shawl.  If you look closely, you’ll see beads too.  I’ve only done about the first ten rows of this.  I’m knitting this project and the Must Have Cardi with Helen.

The orange at the top is my Must Have Cardi.  I said I’m knitting it with Helen, and that’s partly true.  I started mine in January of last year.  Helen started hers last weekend.  She’ll probably have hers done by the time I start the sleeves!

I’m knitting the body in one piece.  I’ve put the fronts on another needle, and I think I’m pretty close to being finished with the back.  I worked on it last night and had to fix the center cables twice.  They’re not that hard!!!  You just move the knit stitches in one stitch on every right side row.  Somehow, I forgot, twice!!!  I fixed my mistakes, twice!!!  Then I went to sleep.  I think this is going to be my project for the rest of this week and this weekend.  It’s cold here and I could be wearing this.

My house looks kind of like that bowl…lots of unmatched stuff all over.  There’s yarn all over the bedroom.  That’s Helen’s fault.  We decided that we should knit Madli’s Shawl together, but I wanted beads in mine.  What followed was an avalanche of yarn and beads.  And after all that digging, what did I choose?  White!  Oh, and in the middle of that, I ordered more beads, which I’m not using!  Thank’s Helen!!!

And the laundry room….I should have named the blog “Crazy Laundry Lady Knits”.  I’ve already posted painful laundry room photos twice!  Use your imagination.

Time to go study the Civil War and multiplication tables with Ms. In Charge.  If she sleeps on flash cards, will she absorb 8 x 7?

Pink

We’re back!  Oh, you didn’t even know we were gone, did you?   My Hero and I and some friends and their son made a whirlwind 48 hour trip to see The Genius and to see the college.  She’s loving life!  We got to do several of our favorite things; eat out, go to chapel, visit Loops, and just hang out.

I finished my I’m Not Too Old For A Ruffly Pink Scarf!

This photo was taken by Frankie, and he’s only eight years old.  That explains the weird angle.  And here’s another less than ideal model.

I’m thinking Superblonde is by far the best model.  It’s a good thing she doesn’t like pink, or my scarf would be gone!

I used Blue Moon Fiber Arts Peru for this scarf, and I used all 500 yards of the skein.  I think the scarf is 7 feet long.  It’s heavenly!  I bought Rowan Cashsoft in cream for The Genius.  She decided she needed one after seeing mine.

I started three projects today, but you’ll have to wait to see them.  Miss In Charge has a hair appointment in a few minutes, and Superblonde and Dreamboy are doing a Target run.  For some reason, they think they need toothpaste and deodorant.

Thanks for all the get well wishes!  I’m feeling much better.  You know how a cold is, it just lingers!  I’m pretty sure I’m going to live though.  See you soon!

Brought To You By The Color Blue

If startitis was a fatal disease, I’d be toast.  I could just sit around and knit 10 rows of about a dozen different yarns right now!  I’d just like to inform you that I’m sort of restraining myself.

First off, for your viewing pleasure, is the Oyster Bay shawl by Oceanwind knits.

Of course the lace still looks like a blob with holes, but it’s showing promise.  The yarn is Geisha, from Blue Moon Fiber Arts.  The colorway is Bella Coola.  I think I’m going to love it.  Unfortunately, I can’t work on it right now because my whole head is swimming in snot.  I haven’t had a cold in three years, and I’m pretty sure I’m dying.  Just kidding!  I know I’m alive because the kids voices are echoing in my head!

Do you remember this?

I frogged it.  The yarn and pattern are wonderful, but over Christmas The Genius found a polite way to tell me that all that ribbing wasn’t going to work with my body.  She was right, and I knew it, but that cable….

So I started this…

It’s Amelia.  It’s also from Blue Moon Fiber Arts,  Socks That Rock Heavyweight.  I’ve knit a ton in the last few days.  That’s the only good thing about having a nasty cold.  I knit through the misery.

There’s also some entrelac going on, but its future is uncertain.  I haven’t made an executive decision.

I must go order Chinese Food and send My Hero to buy me drugs.  Then I will knit more.

Oh, and this comment is from Zelda, one of my trusty readers.  It cracked me up!

“Hope you enjoy my New Year’s present to you: Supreme Power to use Exclamation Points in Multiples! You are the only one that does it and still charms me every time.”

Knit on, people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Party Central

Whew!  We did it.  Two birthdays on the same day!

We started Friday night with both girls having sleepovers.  We had a High School Musical cake!!!  Here’s Ms. In Charge; now a ten year old!

Today we went to church, opened gifts, and I took a nap.  I’m getting too old to celebrate this much.  The birthday dinner request was steak, mashed potatoes, and green beans.  Yum!  I guess that’s why we had all these kids.  Good birthday dinners!

Then…..banana cream pie.  That was Superblonde’s request for her 15th birthday!

But first, a little chaser of whipping cream.

It was My Hero’s idea!

Here’s the recipe.  It was really good!

Oh, I almost forgot.  In the midst of all the napping and partying, I photographed Hypotenuse!

It’s wonderfully soft and drapes beautifully.  I love all of the Handmaiden yarn, but this Silk Maiden was really fun to knit with!  Here’s one more shot, before I move on.

There’s been a lot of knitting going on this weekend, in spite of all the partying.  I haven’t had a cold in years, but I think there’s an elephant sitting on my chest.  I told My Hero that I’m not trying to be self centered or anything, but breathing is my first priority.  So, in order to not stress my poor lungs too much, I put in a lot of knitting time.

Unfortunately, you’re going to have to wait to see what I’ve been working on, because I have to sit and try to breathe, and I also need to digest that banana cream pie!

The Eleven Day Wonder

I did it.  Done.  Finished.  Blocked

It’s Hypoteneuse.    I was only able to do 16 repeats of the pattern with the three skeins of Handmaiden Silk Maiden yarn.  That was 900 yards!  It blocked out to 20 x 73.  I would have liked it a bit longer, but I’m happy with it.

Tomorrow is Birthday day times two.  Superblonde and Ms In Charge are going to be 15 and 10 respectively.  They’re less than thrilled at having to share the same birthday.  Oh, well.  It’s a little late to undo that little problem.

I’m going to take a nap.  And yes, I already started something new this morning.  How did you guess?

You Know It’s Cold When…

…you see numbers like this.

…even your dog is wearing a parka.

…they cancel school.  (They never cancel school in Minnesota for cold.  Just snow!)

…this is the inside of your sliding door.

And the number one way you know it’s cold is that all I want to do is knit!

Wait!  That’s what I want to do every day!

Must. Go. Knit.

I Kid You Not!

Minnesota is the next thing to paradise!

It’s supposed to bottom out at -24 degrees F.

Maybe I should dig out my coat.

Progress

I have two sweaters that are waiting to be graced by my Hypoteneuse.

I’m finished with two of the three skeins of yarn.  Do you see a problem with this shawl?  Here.  I don’t think you can miss it, but I’ll give you another shot.

Do you see the color change between the two skeins of yarn?  Uh huh!  Did I know that I with handpainted yarn, I was supposed to knit with two skeins interchanged?  Yes, I did know that.  So what does that make me?  Well, since I’m not stupid, I guess that makes me…..

Lazy!

And guess what?  I don’t care.  I hate knitting with two skeins, and when it’s wrapped around my neck, nobody will see it.  Now when I knit a sweater with a handpainted yarn, I won’t be lazy…..maybe.

Calm, Cool, and Collected

That’s what I’d like to be.  Anyone that’s reading this and knows me personally is rolling on the floor laughing right now.  I’m so not any of the above.

There are people on my blog list that are choosing a word this year that is their goal or that tells the story of their life.  I’ve spent quite a bit of time thinking about it, and I’ve decided on my word.

Contentment

This is how I picture my life.  It’s a cold, snowy night.  My home is beautifully lit.  You know the nice warm glow?  The laundry is done and put away.  My sewing room is organized, with a project waiting for me.  The fragrance of a wonderful dinner greets My Hero when walks in the door.  My children all have perfect haircuts and are wearing perfectly matched clean clothes.  They’re playing Scrabble together.  And me, my makeup is perfect, I’m wearing a cute pair of jeans and a handknit sweater and I weigh 120 pounds.

Right now?  None of the above, except we did have a great dinner, but the kitchen is a mess.  So how do I stay calm, cool, and collected, and therefore content, in the midst of all the chaos that is my life?

Paul says in Phillipians 4:11-13   I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

The kicker of all of that is that Paul was in jail when he wrote it.

The two things that make me the most crazy (or more crazy than I already am) are my kids bickering, and the messes in this house.  So my goal this year is to work harder to control what I can, and not get upset at the rest.  I’m extremely blessed, and I need to slow down and be thankful and more mindful.

And let me just tell you that I would be downright scary if I didn’t knit.  I have a t-shirt that says, “I knit so I don’t kill people.”  People laugh when they see it.  It’s true!

And now for a quick knitting photo.  My knitting is pretty boring right now.  It’s my pink ruffle scarf and my Hypoteneuse.  They’re both growing longer, but aren’t very exciting blogging material.

I’ve been doing at least one repeat a day, which means I’ll be done with it in just over a week.  And then I have some new ideas!!!

See my messy kitchen in the background?  I’m off to clean it up, because I can control that.  And guess what?  Nobody is fighting at the moment.  Oh, and they all helped me after dinner with general pickup.

Now if My Hero was home, I’d be totally content.  He’s got a tough week ahead of him.  But all is well.