Wednesday, December 24, 2008


Just wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Hope all of your holiday season is wonderful and full of love.


Best Wishes,

Tama

Thursday, December 18, 2008

What a Knitter Wants

As Christmas approaches each year the questions begin. "What do you (the kids, the husband) want for Christmas?" The kids are getting more and more difficult to buy for. Gone are the days of $8 Barbies and $5 car sets. Now the kids are wanting Laptops ($650 to $2000), the latest video games ($40 to $300), and clothes ($40+). Christmas has gone from spending $200 to having to take out a second mortgage.

As a Knitter (notice I capitalized--it's like saying you're American--it's who you are!) I always want the same thing. Sure it's nice to get dishes, jewelry, etc. But what I really want is YARN! and knitting books. As silly as this may seem to you Non-Knitters out there, it's true. The funny thing is, if you buy me yarn there is a really good chance that when I am done with it it will have become a present for you.

See, you can't buy a Knitter sweaters, mittens, hats, socks, or a lovely cashmere scarf for Christmas. You won't offend us, but look at it this way--you just took all of the fun out of the present. I LLLOOOOOVVVEEEEE knitted items! Beautiful shawls, intricately cabled sweaters, angora mittens and scarves, socks made from 12 different colors of yarn all knit into wonderful Turkish designs, and who doesn't love anything cashmere! But for a Knitter it's not just the end product that we love, we love the process also. Sitting for hours looking for just the right pattern, winding the yarn into balls, then relishing every moment of that lovely yarn sliding through your hands as you work your magic on it. Then when the item is finished you can either wrap it up for someone else--who doesn't knit--or put it on and everytime someone comments on it you can say, "Ya, I made it." and they say, "WOW!"

Not sure what yarn or pattern book to buy for the Knitter on your list? Get on the internet and buy them a gift certificate!! KnitPicks has a fantastic selection of yarns, patterns, books, and accessories. They make it so easy to get a gift certificate that it shouldn't even be considered shopping. If you think that for one minute that your Knitter will be disappointed to just get a gift certificate for Christmas THINK AGAIN! They will be thrilled! Knitter's love money that has no other purpose for it other that to be spent on yarn!

KnitPicks isn't the only place that you can get gift certificates. Your local yarn stores offer them, and if you want to give them a certificate for something really special go to Etsy and find a yarn shop there! Etsy is a huge collection of individuals who have shops selling all sorts of hand made items and supplies to make your own. Fiber for spinning and all sorts of yarns, hand dyed and commercial, can be found there. Many of the stores offer gift certificates and if they don't you can e-mail them and ask them if you can get one from them. It's a fun place to shop! TRUST ME! Your Knitter will be thrilled.

HoneyBunny figured out several years ago that I will be happier with a big bag of yarn and knitting accessories than anything else he could get for me. Diamonds are ok, gold is fine, but yarn is divine!

So this year, "give the gift that keeps on giving" or give a gift that will become a gift for you. Give yarn! It's what a Knitter wants.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

An Inconvenience

I received a forwarded e-mail the other day that has taken on a special meaning to me the last few weeks. It said:

"GOOD AFTERNOON!

Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, and oil,

the light at the end of the tunnel has been turned off.

We apologize for the inconvenience...."

So that's what's wrong!!!! I have been wondering why I can't see my way out of here. If you are feeling the same, now you know why.

Saturday, December 06, 2008

The Worst Day Ever

Ok, I am going to start with an apology. I promised myself I would quit whining about my problems, but if I don't do something I am going to explode!!!!! Here is how my day went:

1. A large group of high school boys and coaches checked in last night in addition to our regular Friday night guests. So we had three times the number of guests that we normally have. I called several days in advance to make sure that PLENTY of maids would be here this morning to clean. I even told myself that if it got to far out of hand that I would fill in.

2. We open the office/lobby at 7:30am and the maids are supposed be here ready to go at 8:00am. Back up for just a moment I forgot that at 4:30am the phone rings and one of the toilets in one of the rooms is plugged--later discover that not only is it plugged, but it has run over and the entire bathroom is a wadding pool. Needless to say, after not getting to bed last night until just before midnight then waking up to a huge mess my husband and I started the day VERY TIRED!

3. Anyway, back to the maid disaster--At 7:52 the MOTHER of two of the girls that were supposed to come in called and said that they forgot they had other plans this morning. I begin to worry.

4. At 8:00 the MOTHER of the head maid calls and says that her daughter just woke up (this woman is in her 30's!) and will be late. I am beginning to panic.

5. At 8:15 I realize that the lady we hired and trained last week is not going to show. Now I am just plain pissed off!!!

6. The Daughter, who thank goodness hadn't made any other plans for her day, graciously agreed to start stripping rooms by herself--she is such a wonderful daughter make no mistake!

7. I throw myself together (for cleaning) and join her in getting the rooms changed.

8. I had to go down to the office about 30 minutes into the previous event to take care of something when a mentally challenged/disturbed woman and her obviously helpless caretaker decide to burst into the lobby. The woman was yelling, "Who's here?" over and over and her caretaker couldn't get her to be quiet or leave. As I frantically tried to think of what to do this woman came around the front desk and marched herself into MY living quarters--still yelling and hitting her caretaker. I am sorry, I lost it!!!! I told the caretaker to get her the hell out of my house. Then I found my husband and told him to get the womans family on the phone and
GET DOWN HERE NOW! In the mean time the woman heads for my bedroom, I freak out and slam my bedroom door and lock myself in there until HoneyBunny says that the woman and caretaker went out our back door. I promptly close and lock it also as to prevent any re-entry!
Don't know what became of the two of them, but when her father showed up he didn't even apologize for the incident and simply brushed it off with, "Oh well, that's just what happens every once in a while." EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If it ever happens again I will simply call 911 and freak out on her father!

9. No it's not over yet. In fact it isn't even 9:00am yet! Finally the head maid shows up. She must have sensed the tension in the air because she didn't even say "hi" she just went to work. Unfortunately no one else ever showed up to help.

10. Shortly after the head maid showed up I had to return to my regular job--manager--and start trying to fix the disaster from last night. Two rooms had dogs in them that the guests lied about and didn't pay for. So I have to be the bad guy and charge their credit cards for having pets in the room.

11. Husband and I get into a HUGE fight over what I can't even remember--we were both so tired it was inevitable. He leaves for a while.

12. I sit on my pity pot and feel guilty for not helping clean rooms for a while.

13. At 3:00pm there are only four rooms that are completely finished. Why it's taking so long, I don't know!!!! But the head maid says that she has to leave because her baby is sick.

14. The Daughter, my son, and I clean 9 rooms in two hours and left the rest of the rooms for tomorrow. Maybe we'll be really slow and not rent any rooms tonight? Ya right!

Ok, so there you have it. My day all the way up until 5:30pm. I can't wait to see how the evening turns out.

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Oops! An Update

I didn't realize I hadn't written for so long until my dear friend called the other day and said, "What's up? You haven't written on your blog in a long time! Is everything ok?" I explained that I have been so busy knitting that I haven't taken the time to write.

It seems like every year as it gets close to Christmas that I write less and less frequent. All of my free time is spent baking and knitting so writing takes a back seat.

So what have I been knitting?

SOCKS!



This pattern is called "Little Flowers". It was the August (I think) pattern for Sockamania. I had them almost done when "THE MOVE" happened. Of course, in the mean time I started several other knitting projects and three more Sockamania patterns came out.



I finished these two days ago. The yarn is some that I swapped for with Hege. I made a plain pair quite a while ago, but wanted something different for this pair. I started and ripped out four or five different pattern ideas until I said, "That's it! I am just going to start knitting and whatever comes to me is what they will be!" I knew I had to knit them from the toe up because I only had so much yarn left and I wanted to make sure I had enough to make a pair. So here is what turned out. I knit a regular foot with a "Ripples" pattern top. I had plenty of yarn and they turned out nice.


In addition to these two projects, I have knit several Christmas gifts. I will post pictures of them after Christmas though since I don't want to spoil the surprises. Suffice it to say that I have knit five gifts in the last two weeks. See! That's why I haven't been writting on my blog.

Thanksgiving was.......hmmmm.....ok I guess. Managing a motel and living there at the same time means that just because it's the holiday doesn't mean you get the day off. Which makes it difficult to cook dinner and keep up with the phone and front desk at the same time. Christmas will be the same.

Speaking of Christmas, I have been decorating the motel! I have a lot of space to decorate and allthe time to do it so I've been having some fun.







Fun Stuff!!! I love the holidays!

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Nothing in particular

Ya, so that is my answer to anything when something goes wrong.--"That's it I'm moving to Mexico!" I visited the Yucatan Penisula and Cozumel at a very impressionable age, had the most amazing time of my life, and so now anytime I want to escape that is the first place that comes to mind. I have even told my husband that rather than go through another divorce, I will simply disappear, and "don't bother trying to find me because I know some great places to hide in Mexico".



Things here in the "new" place are, no surprise here, not as great as I envisioned. Rarely do things turn out the way I think they will. Don't get me wrong, a job that allows me knit myself silly is not ALL bad. However, it's not necessarily the "job" that is the trouble. I have already had to let go one of the maids because she wanted to go into the rooms, lay on the bed, and listen to her I-Pod instead of clean. As a result her grandmother, that she lives with, came in and proceeded to scream obscenities at me for 15-20 minutes until HoneyBunny came out and told her--in a language she obviously understood--to leave NOW! or we were calling the police. Ya, that was fun (not!). I can't say that anyone has ever talked to me that way.

Our ladies that come in to cover for us so that we can have a day off are a few sheep short of a flock--if you know what I mean. One got all mad at me last week because the cash drawer was short and I called her to ask her about it. She promptly reminded me that she is, "just here to HELP and if it is too much trouble having her come in she doesn't HAVE to come in." Hmmmm, well volunteers HELP out of the goodness of their heart, not for pay. AND "help" is only "help" if it makes things better--not more work. So, I don't know what to do......have her keep coming in to "help" or find someone that is interested in "working".

As if that isn't enough, The Daughter has a girl that has decided to pick on her at school and because the girls dad belongs to one of the Olympic bob-sled teams the principal doesn't want to do anything about it. It wouldn't be to much of an issue except that this past week the girl grabbed The Daughter by the throat and slammed her down onto a desk. Ya, the principal got the wrong side of me as a result!! The next day the girl was moved to another class--one that my daughter is not in. After talking to a few of the people around here that also have kids in the High School my daughter isn't the only one that this girl picks on. Hmmmm, in Colorado this girl would have been arrested and put into juvenile hall for even mentioning harming, or bullying, another student. The principals answer to this comment? "Well you're in Wyoming now." WHAT!?



So, you see what I mean? I am homesick. I don't want to move back, I just want to be surrounded by Non-Wyoming minded people for awhile until I have recovered my sanity.

Thursday, November 06, 2008

That's it! I'm moving to Mexico!

No, no wait! I can't wear handknit socks in Mexico--it's too hot. I'm moving to Norway. Look out Hege! Here we come.

Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Fun Stuff!

Halloween has come and gone. At least HoneyBunny was home this year!! We had fun dressing up. Since we moved to this small town the kids got to go Trick or Treating. They had a great time! The kids were really excited that HoneyBunny and I were all dressed up so we took this picture. Don't we make a cute couple?


HoneyBunny has decided that he wanted to try his hand at making jewelry. These are the first three rings he made. They are made from antique silver spoon and fork handles. Aren't they great!! I love them! So unique! Each one is one of a kind. I am going to be listing them for sale in my etsy store.


And.....Look at this adorable hat I finished over the weekend!!!!!! Once again, I was a woman possessed! I couldn't stop working on it. It is such a fun hat to make!! I think I'll make a hundred.

Of course The Daughter looks great in it. It is so handy to have such a cute model to put all of my hand knits on.


Well the new Sockamania sock pattern is out and I can't wait to get started! I am off to go knit some more.



Thursday, October 30, 2008

FO's--FINALLY!


This is my "Hey Teach" sweater all done!! I mentioned that I was extremely obsessed with it a couple of months ago. I actually finished it before we started packing up to move, but since all of life has been consumed with the art of loading and unloading boxes for the last month and a half, I am just now getting the time to take pictures and write about this adorable little number.

And as if the sweater itself wasn't cute enough, check out the buttons that I found!!!!!! FOSSILS! I had to sit down and take a few deep breaths when I saw these. I have never seen buttons like this! I couldn't have special ordered a set of buttons that would have made me happier. (Yes I know, I am a little odd.) Who needs (blank) when you can knit a sweater from a pattern that is this easy, this cute, this well written, and then find buttons like these to put on the finished product? (Feel free to put your own words into the "blank").


I just finished these last night. They are the October Sockamania pattern. I knit them with some yarn I won from one of the KAL's I participate in. It's a bamboo/silk blend. I loved knitting with it!! It is reminds me of really good mercerized egyptian cotton, but with a softer hand and the drape of silk. A certain person from the "Christmas List" is going to really like these!

Speaking of "The Christmas List", how many of you are already making plans to knit all of your Christmas gifts this year? Ya, me too. I am falling into that same rut I find myself in about this time of year every year. (Ooo, I should make that lace shawl for... and those turkish socks for...and an afghan for... Ooo, and that sweater for...etc. etc. etc). It will be November in two days which means that I have less than two months to make all of these lovely projects for everyone on my list. Will I make it this year????? Nope! I never do. But who can resist all of that delicious yarn, the challenge of being "under the gun" at the last minute, and all of those great patterns? I've decided that planning knitting projects is a good chunk of the excitement and fun. After all, I like to think and talk about yarn and knitting almost as much as I like buy yarn and knit it.

So.............Happy Knitting!





Tuesday, October 21, 2008


I thought this was really cute!

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Almost Normal

With my kitchen all in place, my bedroom completely unpacked, pictures finding their way onto the walls, and time to knit I am beginning to relax a little and enjoy my new circumstances. I even found my missing circular needles and all of my knitting books. I had no idea how important some of those items were to my feelings of well-being. Once certain things were in place the break-neck need to keep unpacking until everything was out of a box ended. WHEW! (Now I just need to recover from this stupid cold I managed to get because I wouldn't stop to rest). Now I am unpacking maybe one or two boxes a day or every other day depending on my mood. The biggest project left is to organize our storage/work room. I figure that it can wait until I am completely recovered from the move and winter is serious enough that outside adventures, on our day off, is not an appealing idea (it can stay at temperatures below zero for a daytime high).


Yesterday was our day off and we spent the entire day goofing off. No unpacking, no cleaning, no laundry, no nothing not fun. It was great!! We went out to eat pizza, drove up to the Uinta mountains--which are only about 30 miles away!--,bummed around town looking in stores (HoneyBunny bought me a gorgeous earring and necklace set for our anniversary), and then finished the day with the newest Indiana Jones movie and two hours of non-stop knitting! I loved it!
My Sockamania socks for the month of October are half way done!! Yeah!! It has been at least two months since I was able to complete anything so I am really excited about this project. I will definately post pictures of them when I finish.

In the mean time here are some pictures of my new home/job surroundings:




This is the view out of my kitchen window and the stained glass partition between the living
quarters and the front desk.


The Son and HoneyBunny's idea of moving......LOL!



And what would Wyoming be without antelope and buffalo? The antelope are the herd that hangs out on our lawns and the mountain outside my kitchen window and the buffalo hangs over the front desk.
I'll try to get some more pictures taken soon of the town etc. In the mean time my knitting is calling me and I better take advantage of it before things pick up this evening.
Happy Knitting! and whatever else you would say if you were from Wyoming--like "Ya'll come back now yu hear!" :o)

Tuesday, October 07, 2008

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

After weeks and weeks of back breaking work I am beginning to see the end of this whole project. We finally got the living room cleared enough so that you can sit on the couch and watch tv from the entertainment center and not sit on the floor watching a tv that is also sitting on the floor. I have been able to resume cooking for us rather than eating out every meal--in fact, I am so sick of eating out that it will be quite a while before I get in the mood to eat out again. And things are looking more like MY house.

HOWEVER!, I cannot find my circular knitting needles!! I really need a 16 inch size 10! I have looked and looked. Also missing is 5 skeins of Hemp yarn in Avocado. I wouldn't be surprised if the two of them were in the same box hiding from me while they made a shawl or something. Anyway, the search is beginning to feel like an emergency situation. I have no idea where they are, in which box. I packed them but can not remember packing them. Unfortunately, none of the boxes say anything clever like, "circular knitting needles" or "missing avocado colored hemp yarn". So the search continues.

I will never do this again. Moving into a house that is located in the same building as your job is not a good idea. The owner thinks that it shouldn't be any big deal to put in 16 hour days at work while unpacking and arranging an entire house, changing banks and addresses for paying bills, getting new license plates and drivers licenses, and checking kids into new schools and get them settled in there, etc. I got some sort of stomach flu the day after we arrived and spent the entire day throwing up and laying in bed. Then this morning I woke up with a terrible sinus infection and cold. I feel horrible! I have done most of this move all by myself because of HoneyBunny's back and, since I am the brains of the outfit, have taken over ALL of the front desk/management duties for the motel. I think my immune system is a little on the weak side right now.

Anyway, I gotta go. I gotta lay down for at least a few minutes before we get slammed with business this afternoon. I am exhausted and I miss my knitting something terrible--I can hear my yarn and knitting books calling to me from the boxes down the hall right now. I sure wish that hemp yarn and those circular needles would speak up so I can find them!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

My Life is Turned Upside Down



Well, the day is almost here. Tuesday September 23rd we will be leaving our old home for a new home. I didn't realize how many friends I had made or how attached I had become to my life here. It has been really hard as I have experienced all of the "lasts"--my last day at work, last Sunday at church here, last time I would take one of my homemade treats over to my grandparents home, last time I would ever see my dog (this was extremely traumatic!), my kids last day at school, last time I would ever call my husbands work phone to let him know I was on my way home, etc.

You have to understand, I have never lived somewhere for this amount of time. I have heard other people talk about how much they would miss their friends, home, etc., but I have never experienced it myself. And let me tell you, it is so hard. In addition to being emotionally exhausted I am also physically exhausted. I didn't know if I was going to make it through today without just collapsing.

Not only all of that but I have not knit one stitch for two weeks!!! I can't remember the last time I went that long without knitting. It's terrible! I simply have not had time. As you know HoneyBunny has all of those back problems and cannot do that much packing or cleaning and absolutely no lifting. So I have done almost everthing by myself. A few of my friends have come over when they have had time to help, but the bulk of this entire move has fallen onto my shoulders. Thank goodness for The Daughter! She helped me carry out a moving sale that took two weekends to complete. I couldn't have done it without her! There just hasn't been two minutes for me to knit. I miss it very much and CAN'T wait for it to all be over!!!

The next time I write I will have experienced the last of my "lasts"--the last time I will ever walk through the door of my home here.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

My Life is Officially a Whirlwind

OK! If you aren't sitting down, you better find a seat, and if you are already sitting, you better hold onto the chair............................

Friday HoneyBunny and I received a job offer in Wyoming!! Then TODAY the owner of the business met with us and asked us how soon we could be moved up there! They need us up there NOW! We said, "Ummmmmm, can we have a few weeks to quit our jobs here, sell our house, pack up our entire lives, transfer our children to new schools, and say good-bye to all of our friends and family?" They were reluctant, but said that we were perfect for the job and therefore worth the wait.

Can you believe it!!!!????? My head is spinning and I keep having to take a deep breath in an effort to slow my pounding heart down.

This is an answer to our prayers. As you know HoneyBunny has been working under the threat that any day he is going to have to go on permanent disability because of his back problems and he just can't drive his dump truck anymore. We have racked our brains for months now trying to figure out what in the world we are going to do. He can't do a desk job because he can't sit for extended periods of time, he can't be on his feet for long periods of time, etc. and so we haven't been able to come up with anything. We certainly can't live on my income alone!!! We had owned our own business at one time, but we are in no kind of financial situation to where it would be possible for us to start another one. So we have just been in a state of complete frustration and hopelessness.....Until Friday when this phone call came in.

What is the job offer? Oh ya! Managing a motel. We will live on the premises--so no more house payments, property taxes, power bills, etc., etc. They have a person that comes in during the week so that we can have some time to get away. All we have to do is maintain the property and check the guests in and out, essentially. The head maid takes care of all of the laundry and cleaning of the rooms so we don't do any of that. AND, believe it or not it gets better, there is a small store in the motel that is empty and they thought that it would be perfect for a yarn/souvenir shop! Well, they certainly know how to motivate me!!!

So, we are moving in four weeks. I'll try to keep you posted.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Ta-Da!

I know I was whining quite a bit about this laptop case the other day. But after some serious creative thought I figured out a way to fix my complete screw-up and make it look good. See what I did was:

1. I didn't buy enough yarn. I was trying to make it with what I had and thought it would be enough. I mean, I made the thing 90 sts on size 10 needles wide and knit 250 some rows!!! I knit until all I had was scraps of four 120 yard skeins left! Who knew it was going to shrink THAT SMALL!

2. I didn't watch it while it was "processing" in the washing machine. I threw it in, walked off, and didn't think about it again until it was REALLY too late to rescue it.

3. I didn't start it soon enough to plan the whole project out properly. I knew it wasn't going to take long to make so I procrastinated until I had to do double time to get it done in time.

4. I didn't do a test swatch. BIG SURPRISE THERE! I know, I know. You should always do a test swatch, especially when you are going to felt something so that you can get a good idea of how much the yarn will shrink in each direction of the fabric. I was running late and didn't have time. My projects al(most)ways turn out good in the end anyway--right?

So, after doing everything I possibly could to create a HUGE catastophe out of this ladies laptop case that she was giving to her daughter as a "going away to college" gift...........I did manage to make a really cute latop case.


She is taking the case to another lady to have some fancy beading and embroidery work done on it. It's nothing fancy now, but the other bag she showed me to pattern this one after was really cute with the extra's.
All's well that ends well. However, the next time I start to do something like this again, someone stop me!!!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Lazy Days of Summer....HA!

I feel really bad about not blogging very often lately, but I have been so busy I feel like I've been in a tornado.

School starts next Monday for the kids so all of the usual preparations have been going on, you know clothes shopping, supply shopping, grocery and snack shopping, shopping shopping, and more shopping. I used to love shopping. It just isn't that much fun anymore. I think it's because I don't like to spend my money on anything that doesn't have something to do with knitting. Yes, that is very selfish of me, but knitting is an awfully high priority.

In addition to the school whirlwind, my birthday was a couple of weeks ago. We spent the end of the week and the weekend running around the countryside fishing and hiking. It was a lot of fun! but left me with four days of housework and projects to get caught up on....I'm still not caught up!

Besides all of the shopping fun I've been having, I have a lap top case that was really supposed to be done last week, but still isn't! It's actually my fault for not doing a test felt sample. I just HATE making samples. It is such a waste of time and yarn! However, now I have to figure out how to take this "bag" that measures 18 inches long (from opening to bottom) and only 10 inches wide and make it stretch or something so that it is 16 inches wide. It shrunk WAY too much in width and about right in length. I am so mad at the whole project that I would just cut it to pieces if it was something for me, but it is for a customer so I better not loose my cool yet. So I have to figure out what I am going to do to fix the (blank) thing and still have it look good AND have it done by this weekend. I HATE cursed projects. I will post a picture of the whole mess soon so you can weep, wail, and gnash your teeth with me. (I am at work right now so no pictures. Sorry). I think this is why I stay away from felted projects. To many variables and you never know whether all of that work is going to turn out right or not until after all of the PERMANENT changes are accomplished (ie. it comes out of the washing machine).

I am very happy to report that the LOVELY little jacket I mentioned in my last post is almost done!! I have the little sleeves to make and then sew it together. I hate the sewing part, but I really want the little jacket! If you haven't started yours yet NOW is the time! A more perfect late summer, early fall sweater does not exist. See the last posts for links to the pattern.

As soon as school starts I anticipate having a little more time. Hopefully my blog posts will be more frequent.

Happy knitting!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

The Newest FO's and Prizes!

And you thought I was busy at work or on vacation or something! No, I have been knitting instead of blogging the last two weeks.

I became completely obsessed with this pair of socks. After making three pairs of boring socks for HoneyBunny I found myself knitting these without even realizing that there was nothing boring about them. I had originally started them to become another boring pair of summer socks for him, using left-overs again.

However, after working the double braided rib I suddenly found myself making these cute little "picket fence/window pane" designs. I then thought an inserted heel with a little "picket fence" detail around the edges of it would be really fun. I was running out of the white and still had tons of the "Desert Sunflower" yarn so I figured that I would do one more "picket fence" and end the sock with the multi-colored yarn.

Needless to say, they are not for HoneyBunny. They are for ME! I really love them! He just thinks they are "cute".



This is the pair that I made for the Sockamania Club this month. I have missed making a sock for it for the last two months. I just didn't have time for some reason. Both pairs are UFO's at this point.

Anyway, I used ToFutsies from Southwest Trading Co. and increased the cuff at the top by 30 rows. I like a nice 8 to 9 inch leg on my socks. In fact, if the deadline hadn't been Thursday I would have made them even longer. I absolutely love the color! and the heel design was very clever!


This is the prize I won for making a pair of socks each month of the SAMKAL over the past six months. Two skeins of beautiful sock yarn, stitch markers, a sock pattern by "Cookie", and this gorgeous knitting bag that was hand made using fabric I got to pick out. I was very excited!

I love getting presents! I am looking forward to knitting up the sock pattern. I really like all of Cookies patterns. She is an amazing sock designer!


I am almost finished with my Turkish socks!!! I am so excited!! And I found the most adorable cotton, summer cardigan/jacket/top thing. It is an additional pattern for the Summer Knitty.com online magazine. I am completely obsessed!! (I am also half done with the back already! and I only started it yesterday.) It is so cute that I am planning to make several for myself in various colors and then one for every female family member, and my dearest friends!! It is so cute, I think that every woman on the planet should have one. (Yes, you can see the obsession clearly at this point). I will post pictures of mine when it is finished, in the mean time click on the link above so you can see how cute the original one is and get the pattern for yourself!


That wraps it up! Happy Knitting!



Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Camping!!!!

We haven't been camping for years. Mostly because of all of the problems with HoneyBunny's back. However, we decided that it was time to get the heck out of town. (ABOUT TIME!) So the following are camp pictures. We had a great time!

Look like fun? Definately! In fact, I had so much fun I am ready to go again this weekend.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Why I Knit

Everyone knows I knit. It is a little hard to miss this about me because I knit in the doctor's office, at the park, at the pool, in the mall, in the sporting goods stores, in the movie theatre, etc. However, no one really knows WHY I knit. So, here it is...............

I knit for the peace I feel when I am knitting. I knit when I am upset because it smoothes everything over for me, and it calms and soothes my soul.

I knit during movies because I really enjoy the combination--movies/knitting--it just goes together like movies and popcorn. You will never see me watching a movie without my knitting in hand.

I knit because I can make it in my size, my favorite color at the time, and out of whatever fiber I want. And no one else will have exactly the same thing because I use patterns as a reference only, for the most part. Let's see W**-Mart come up with something that fits that bill!! HA!

I knit because HoneyBunny decided years ago that the only socks he can wear are my hand knit ones. And that's ok because I will only wear my hand knit socks as well.

I knit because I love yarn..........and fiber............and sheep..............and angora bunnies..............and cashmere!!!! How do you love cashmere and not knit? If you don't knit but love cashmere, imagine being able to spend hours and hours with cashmere caressing your hands as it slips softly through them and turns into that amazing, luxurious article of clothing!! (Whoa! I have goose bumps just thinking about it!!!)

Knitting is my life. I knit to live. I knit for comfort. Knitting isn't just something I do, it's who I am.

Happy Knitting!

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Why Knit?

Monday, June 09, 2008

When It Rains It Pours

We are currently mourning the loss of HoneyBunny's career. He brought home 75% of our household income. Now it's gone. The doctor wants him to be on disability for the next two to three months to see if it makes any difference in his back pain. If not then she will put him on permanent disability. (For those of you that don't know, HoneyBunny broke his L5 vertebrae in the oil field about six years ago and has had four surgeries to try to stabilize the area. As one IME doctor put it, he has a "failed back". The latest development is that his feet keep swelling up so much he can't wear shoes and they hurt so bad he can't walk without a cane and even then it's "OOoo! Eeee! Owwww!" every step of the way. His stress and blood pressure levels are off the chart. And for those of you saying, "Well what about Workman's Comp.?" HA! Don't ever think that just because you get hurt that your insurance company is going to take care of you! Those people only exist to TAKE your money. They have no intention of EVER giving ANY of it back or providing you with any of the benefits that your money is supposed to be paying for! Regardless of how hurt you are. And on top of that, the Workman's Comp. in our state has no obligation to pay for any re-training should you loose your job as a result of your injury.)

Ya, so you can guess where we are at! I am so upset I can't even knit and I have managed to get myself so stressed out and tired--from lack of sleep--that I am very sick today. I started getting a terribly sore throat and a raging headache last night and things have not improved today.

AND! on top of all of this our congregation at church has grown so much over the last few years that they have had to draw up new boundaries and divide us up. I feel like my entire support system just crashed. My dearest friends and the leader of our congregation are going to be "in the other group" and I am going to be in the new one. I cried most of the day yesterday.

I am so ready for something good to happen! You have no idea!

Monday, June 02, 2008

Monday's Escape

The Ancient Ones
Homes built of stone and mud
Sacred dwellings
Whispers from the cobwebs
Shadows in the corners
Stories of the hunt
Painted on the wall
Reverently my hand touches Theirs.


I am in escape mode right now. The doctor wants HoneyBunny to go on disability--preferrably permanent disability. We are having a hard time trying figure out how we are going to make it. I always "run away" to my "secret garden" when life gets this bad. My secret garden is the canyons and deserts I grew up playing in. My indian ruins. The ghosts and spirits that haunt them were my friends, the kachina people would laugh in my ear and play games with me. I miss them and the time I spent there. It was my safe place then and so that's where I want to be now.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

My Blogaversary Came and Went

I must apologize for not writing on the anniversary of my blog. Two years!! Wow! It doesn't seem that long. I have been so caught up in all the drama in my life right now (ok for longer than just "right now") that I didn't have it in me to write. Between The Son growing up, summer break coming about without me being available to entertain my kids, HoneyBunny's never-ending back problems that is ruling his life, etc, etc. I just haven't felt like writing.

I have been knitting and crocheting though! I have finished The Daughter's swim suit--it's very cute but I doubt I will post a picture of her in it, but I may post a picture on my Ravelry page. And I finished another pair of summer socks for HoneyBunny.

He loves them. I love that they used nothing but left-over yarn! After all, a hole in the stash means that there is room for new yarn! Yeah for new yarn!

With the little bit of warm weather we have had our river here is trying it's best to flood the roads and whatever else lies on the banks. I checked out the USGS site (geology stuff) to see how high the river was running and it said that it was at 97% of normal and 11 feet above normal.


If you look closely at the background you can see the bridge that is usually 11 feet higher in the air.

The river is providing me with a source of distraction from all of the other "stuff" that is threatening to devastate me. I love to see Mother Nature take control and remind us that she does what she wants when she wants to and our efforts to contain her rarely work. I believe we should live in harmony with her not fight to control her.

So, that just about wraps it up.

Happy Blogaversary to me!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

snif, snif ;o( snif, snif


Well I have known for several years now that this day would come. I tried to prepare myself and tell myself I would be ok and everything would be alright. However, I have been weepy and melancholy all day.My precious baby has completed his elementary education and will become a "Middle-Schooler" when school starts in the fall :o( I am so sad. He is such a wonderful boy. After all the trouble he was as a baby--with all of his problems (heart, allergies, stomach troubles, crying, etc) he has been a model child.
I went to his "Me Celebration" at the elementary school that he has attended since kindergarten today. I was really nice. A local photography company went around taking candid and posed pictures of all the fifth graders in the school and put the collection together on a disc for the kido's to have as a way to remember all the good times. I cried the entire twenty minutes it played. I thought of how sweet and good all these kids have been as I have gone to the various classrooms over the years for different events. I thought of all the wonderful teachers that have loved my son and, in turn, have caused him to love school. He still runs up to hug his third grade teacher everytime he sees her.With the world becoming more and more uncertain all the time I hate to see him have to go through all the trials, pressures, and troubles that come with growing up.

I hate the thought of him loosing that innocence that seems to fade much too quickly when the teenage years set in. I hate to think that the smile that seems to always cover his face could turn to something sarcastic or rude. I hate to think about him growing up........period.You will always be my little boy, no matter where you are, no matter where you go, no matter what you do. I will always remember these precious first 12 years.

I love you.

Mom