Ok, Here's the Pictures!

I said there would be pictures when I had time so today somewhere between laundry, vaccuming, dishes, re-potting a huge plant (see Mrs. Know-It for details tomorrow), going to a movie, and shopping I managed to take these:This is the front of the swimsuit top I crocheted. I haven't had time to start the bottoms yet, but soon!This is the back. Its hard to tell, but it laces up and ties at the bottom. SUPER CUTE when it's on!This is a closer picture of the lacing and you can see it a little better.These are the "crew'' length socks for HoneyBunny that are well on their way to being done.And I don't know if I mentioned these, but I started this pair of socks for me out of the yarn I got in a yarn swap with Hege. I took the Jaywalkers pattern and modified it a little bit and then started them as a toe up sock. I do like the results so far!! I did a toe up version because I didn't want to waste one little bit of this gorgeous yarn.

I don't recall if I mentioned this either, but I made this for a special order I received from my etsy store. It is a laptop case that features embroidered flowers and branches like the picture that the lady who ordered it had painted. (did that make sense?) She sent me a picture of one of her original paintings and asked if I could somehow put it on a laptop case--Yes! I sure can. I dyed some worsted weight wool then knit the bag, felted it, sewed a zipper in the top, then finished it off with the embroidery. She totally loves it--I really liked it too! It fit my computer perfectly.

So, there they are! And yes, I have been very busy this month so far and it is only about half over!

Hope you all are having a great weekend! As always, Happy Knitting!

Let's Try This Again!

After yesterdays disaster--my post disappeared somehow--it was too late to write the entire thing over so I am going to try to get it on here today. Unfortunately all of that great humor and fun stuff is gone so I will just have to do what I can to re-create it.

I have obtained a job. Yeah. Unfortunately it has nothing to do with yarn, knitting, or fiber so as you can guess--it's just a job. I am working full time and if I was to design the perfect job--that has nothing to do with the love of my life (not counting HoneyBunny of course)--it would be this job. Great benefits, salary, etc, etc. I am really happy I got this one, the alternative was awful! So, now I just have to find time for what I really love to do--pet yarn and knit. I'm sure I will figure something out. What is really difficult so far is trying to maintain my store--which is about a four hour a day job--and work at my new job--which is a nine hour a day job counting lunch but not drive time to and from work. I plan to be really tired all week and not have any "ME" time.

Next--WIP's. I have been crocheting a swimsuit for The Daughter. Now I know what you are thinking--EUWWWW! No! This one is soooooo cute you won't believe it. (I will post pictures as soon as I am done and have time to take the pictures). I am making it out of the beautiful turquoise cotton (called Piper) from Dale of Norway. You can see the yarn in my store here. I have the top completely finished--which is really the hard part because of all of the adjustments that I have to make so that it fits her (if you have seen her you know what I am talking about!). I hope to have the bottoms done this weekend so hopefully there will be pictures by this time next week. I am using a bikini pattern from "Sexy Knits" as a loose reference or just an idea to work from. It really is turning out fantastic!

And finally, HoneyBunny (better known as The Boring Sock Lover) has ordered at least 4 pair of "crew" length socks for his new summer work boots. So, after locating all of the odds, ends, and leftovers of several years worth of sock yarns I am well on my way to having the first pair done. Some of the leftover yarns are from fourteen years ago when I lived in Washington State!!! It brings back very fond memories of knitting for 6-10 hours a day and playing with my baby daughter (sigh)........Anyway, again, as soon as I get time there will be pictures of them.

So, that's about all of what got lost yesterday. I am REALLY missing my old schedule--get up, get husband to work, kids to school, sit down (in pj's) at computer with breakfast, visit bloggy friends, write in blog, look at knitting patterns, take some pictures, process etsy orders, get showered and dressed sometime around noon, eat lunch and read more blogs, go to post office, knit, talk on the phone, pick up kids from school, start dinner, pretend that I have worked super hard all day for HoneyBunny, eat dinner, knit, knit somemore, and go to bed after some reading and knitting. Maybe again someday..........

Happy Knitting! Even if I am not here as often I am still thinking about all of you!

^%$###$%^&

The entire post I just wrote disappeared! I am so mad!!!!!!!!! I will write it again later. I don't have time to re-create the entire thing again tonight.

Later.

Random Ramblings

I really don't have anything particular to talk about today. No real title, no real subject. I just feel the need to go on and on about whatever. The main reason is because I still can't find a job!! I am going crazy! Never in my (blank) years of life have I had trouble getting a job. I just see an ad., go in, apply, interview--usually on the spot, and "poof" I have a job. NOT THIS TIME! I have been applying for everything under the sun for four months and have NOTHING! I am beginning to feel like I have leprosy or lice or some other disease that the mass population is terrified of. (Oh no! I'm on my pity pot again!) BOO-HOO-HOO. What's wrong with me?

Aside from this all else is good. HoneyBunny is doing fantastic after this last surgery. It has helped so much it makes me angry that his stupid (ooops! not really) surgeon didn't think to try this two years ago!! The Daughter and Pooh Bear are counting the days until Summer Break and can't wait.

Maybe I need to do some knitting. Yeah, I think that is the problem. I have been so busy job hunting, creating resumes, shopping, holiday-ing, goofing off in general, playing on the computer, and cleaning the house that I haven't done much knitting at all.

As fun as knitting sounds, though, HoneyBunny just called with an entire list of "Honey-Do's" for me. "Bring me my phone ear piece--I forgot it again. Take my boots in for sizing. Pick me up an energy drink on your way. Oh! and bring my hand-held CB so you can talk to me when you get to the job site." As if I don't have anything else to do!

Well, I better get going if I am ever going to get to my knitting today.

My How Time Flies!

...When you are trying to post to three other blogs! I have this blog, of course you know that! Then there is my new blog--Mrs. Know-It--and my two sock club blogs--Sockamania and SAMKAL 5. And since today is the last day of the month I am running around trying to get my socks that are HOT OFF THE NEEDLES! posted for the month. I don't know what happened to this month! It went by so fast. It's Easter's fault--it was two weeks early this year!



So, without further adieu, here are my socks that I finished.

Powder helped make the picture cute by posing in the background. If you want to read all about the socks go to my side bar and click on the link for Sockamania or SAMKAL 5. Sorry, I am not going to write about them AGAIN! I do love them though and they turned out wonderful!

In other news--I am a hopeless yarn snob! BOO-HOO, boo-hoo! I was somewhere online looking at yarn or knitting patterns, I'm sure, when I came across a link for Woolgirl. **WARNING** If you are low on yarn funds or stash storage space, do not go here! She had this yarn...Superwash Merino, silk, and get this! SILVER. Yes, real silver threads have been spun into this yarn! I had to have it! I am NOT supposed to be buying anymore yarn for me at least for a while--I am on a strict yarn diet until the stash is under control and I have sold a bunch of my retail yarn in my store! But there it was--sock yarn with real silver thread! I was buying it before I even knew what was happening. And a few days later there it was--in person(?) in the mail box!

Not only was the yarn beautiful, but Woolgirl really knows how to wrap up a skein and make you want it more! Isn't this a lovely package?And here is the yarn! Mocha. Isn't it LOVELY! I don't know if I can knit it. It may have to spend some quality time next to me here on my desk first and then some time in the "Special Yarns" stash (which reminds me, if you want an idea on how to store your stash, visit Mrs. Know-Its post about "stash").

I will try to get back to writing on here more. I am really having fun at Mrs. Know-It and I have invited my Blog buddy Hege, in Norway, to join me as a co-author for it. She will be posting Kids stuff and some other fun things. Be sure to stop by and check it out! Remember, if you aren't a blogger you can still post your comments and questions.

Happy Knitting!

Is It Spring Yet?

What a great weekend! No, I didn't spend it knitting (that would have been fun though!!) The weather finally got warm enough that we could go hiking. And let me tell you!! I spent Easter Sunday wishing I had worked up to the hike. I am still so sore! My back, legs, arms, even my hands are sore! (I think my hands are sore from not doing any knitting all weekend long LOL!)

This is HoneyBunny. He found some really nice fossilized sand dollars and several different species of fossilized clams in the boulder he is standing in front of. Our jackets didn't stay on very long. It was about 60 degrees (F) and just lovely outside! I think that part of the reason I am so sore was that I found some great rocks to add to my yard. When we hiked out I was carrying an extra 50 pounds (in rock) back to our vehicle!

Saturday afternoon we colored Easter eggs. This year I found some "Neon" food coloring and, as you can see, the eggs turned out really pretty! That "Electric Pink" egg was really something! I had actually bought the food coloring to dye some yarn with, but couldn't resist trying it out on the eggs first. The yarn should be pretty exciting if it looks anything like the eggs!

And here we are in our new Easter finery. I would have put the picture of all of us together on here, but I look like I weigh 200 lbs in it! I look much better in this picture with The Daughter. Yes, it was another lovely day, perfect for Easter!

In other news, I have started another blog. It is listed on my side bar as Mrs. Know-It. I get a lot of requests for recipes, gardening info., and miscellaneous stuff from my friends so I thought it would be fun to create a blog where all of this could be out there for everyone. Feel free to stop by! If you have a question I will address it in a post. I am really excited about it!! I don't profess to know everything, but what I don't know I usually can find an answer somewhere.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Busy

This week has been so crazy and it's only Wednesday. I can't believe it's been a week since I wrote the last post. With Spring Break ending Monday, new yarns coming in, Easter has been the last thing on my mind. In fact, I didn't realize Easter is this Sunday until about 10 days ago. Usually I decorate the house for Easter, like I do for other holiday's, but it's not going to happen this year. I usually use a nicely flowered out branch to bring inside and decorate with my pretty egg decorations. But the weather has stayed so cold that none of my fruit trees have even been thinking about getting buds on them. Maybe that's why I didn't realize how close Easter was--it's too cold. Last year at this same time the weather was in the 60's and 70's (degrees F); this year it's been in the upper 30's and 40's. That is a huge difference! We are still getting snow in the mountains. Just last weekend it snowed 12-14 inches on the passes! Hopefully it doesn't all melt at once (like I've seen happen in the past) or we are going to have some serious flooding problems here in the valley!

All right, enough of the boring stuff. Here is the yarn that showed up yesterday. I am soooo thrilled with it! 100% Mercerized Egyptian Cotton in some LOVELY spring and summery colors. Just because the weather isn't saying "Spring" yet doesn't mean my yarn shouldn't sing it! Don't these colors just make you feel like spring! I am very impressed with the quality and you can't beat the price either. I will try to get them listed later this week on my etsy store.

Moving on, I have been dilligently working on this months Sockamania sock in all of my free time. This pair will be for me for a change. I really need some socks in a neutral color and this fits the bill for certain. When they are finished I will take a picture of them on so that you can see what they really look like. This picture makes them look like some kind of basket weave pattern, but they really are cables with rows of purl stitches in between.

I may actually finish this pair before the last day of the month this time. They make up really quick, or I am just knitting faster because I have a million other things that need to be done also. Either way, I really like them and they look fantastic on me!

I guess I better get back to work. I have about 48 hours of stuff to do in the next 24 hours and I need 8 of those 24 to sleep. Just never enough time in some weeks--and last week I was bored.

Happy Knitting! and if I don't get to post again before Sunday, Happy Easter to you all!!!

Yarn, Yarn, Yarn, Ya!

My daughter has been watching videos on Yahoo! of songs that were my favorites at her age. Adam Ant, Missing Persons, Real Life, ABC, OMD, etc. (She thinks she has found a whole new genre of music). Anyway, so when I went to title this post the song, "Lies, Lies, Lies" from Thompson Twins was playing in my head. I combined it with the idea that I am going to talk about yarn today and......viola! the title.

Remember the partially spun "Sedona" from the last post? Well, here it is all done!

I don't know what I am going to make with it yet.

**Note** I rarely spin fiber into yarn with any particular purpose in mind. Crazy, I know. I just like yarn and I really believe that it is good just the way it is. Sometimes it takes years for a beautiful handspun yarn to "find itself" and its "purpose in life".

I am sure something will come along some day for it to become, but for now it is happy being what it is--really pretty, shiney yarn living in my "special yarn" stash.

Yesterday while I was out entertaining children out of school for "Spring Break" (it was only the second day of the break and I was already frazzled and exhausted) my order from Dale of Norway showed up. Two large boxes of LOVELY yarn. (I will post some pictures on here a little later today). I am SOOOOO excited to be carrying this yarn. I have used one or two of their yarns in the past and like it. However, the LYS's that I shopped at either didn't know that Dale of Norway had a full line of yarns, or they didn't have good taste. (Good chance of the later). I found some very exciting yarns that I can't wait to show the world!! They don't do just wool! Svale is a cotton/silk/viscose that will make the most beautiful shawls and summer sweaters in the world!

and an egyptian cotton that puts the "King Tut" brand to shame! Not to mention a true white (not off-white or creamy white) machine washable wool, sock weight yarn! Yes, that is 100%, machine washable, MERINO wool in WHITE sock (fingering) weight yarn. Lovely isn't it? I can't wait to try my hand at dying some of it! The colors should come out much brighter and vibrant than when you use off-white or cream colored yarn for your base.

They have a new yarn that I wanted to get, but it's a worsted weight yarn and since Spring and Summer is just around the corner I am going to wait until July or August to order some. It is a wool/cashmere/microfiber/alpaca/viscose blend called Harlequin. MMmmmmm! just beautiful! And all of the different yarns come in just about every color you can possibly imagine, including neon!

Of course here is one of my favorites: "Falk"--superwash, DK weight, wool that comes in every color and shade on the planet.

All right, now I am off to go get it all out and get some pictures. (And pet all of my new yarn). All of the yarn is now pictured and posted here! Watch for it to come up for sale in my etsy store tomorrow.

Almost Spun Out!

After almost a week or so of spinning, combing, combining, dying, and fiddling with fibers I am just about done for a while. I love to play with fibers, but it takes a terrible toll on my upper body. Spinning is especially hard on me and now I have a raging head ache that will take weeks to get rid of. My shoulders are killing me, my back is sore and tight, my hands hurt, and my arms are pooped! BUT IT WAS WORTH IT!!!

Remember the fiber from Enchanted Knoll? Well it is now about 400 yards of luscious, fingering weight yarn! (It is incredibly difficult to capture it's true essence in pictures!) Very soft and glowing with all of those little blue, red, green, and opalescent silk threads. I am planning to make a lace moebius scarf with it. I have had the pattern forever, but never had "The Perfect Yarn". Well this yarn is as perfect as it gets. There will be pictures when I finish it.
This was some of the prettiest fiber ever! I combined a "sea foam" colored merino wool with royal blue tussah silk and then spun up this GORGEOUS sock weight yarn. HoneyBunny was even a little enamored with it. It is now listed in my etsy store.

This is some Lilac and blue wool/silk fiber I created.

This is a blend of wool, silk, and angora. It will be "to die for" when it's spun up!

I really got into the "Oriental" looking colors. I am going to blend this Scarlet merino wool and gold silk together. It should turn out really pretty, just have to get back my desire to do what it takes to get it combed and combined.

This is the "Sedona" silk that I got from Enchanted Knoll. It has tiny knots in it that make for a textured, shiney yarn. I am about half way finished spinning it into singles. There will be a picture of the yarn posted when it is finished.

And since I can't go forever without knitting, this is the sock that I started the other day. I am using the bamboo/wool I got from Anni's etsy store. It is such nice yarn. I don't think I will give this pair away--they will be mine!

So, that about wraps up (no pun intended :o) ) the fiber adventures for now. I have a bunch of knitting to work on!

Happy Knitting!

"Getting to know me, getting to know all about me"

I have now been tagged by Awesome Mom--I think she is just paying me back for tagging her. This one is more difficult because I need to link to a bunch of blogs I have written. So we are about to see how creative I can be with my computer in order to accomplish this.

1. While sitting on my "pity pot" for all the world to see, I wrote a lot about my family. I am not prone to this type of post, but it certainly gives a reader an idea of why I knit SOOOOOO much.

2. What are friends for anyway if they can't help you find more patterns than you could EVER possibly knit. They can be great enablers when you share an addiction to yarn, patterns, or fiber!

3. It isn't a secret that I have more UFO's and WIP's than are really necessary. I do it so that I don't ever get bored with what I am working on and so that I always have the perfect project for whatever I am doing in addition to knitting--riding in the car, waiting at the doctor's office, watching a movie, cooking dinner, etc.

4. Well this one is just silly! I am supposed to link to something I love. DUH! that's like my whole blog! Knitting, HoneyBunny, anything to do with rocks, knitting socks, yarn, fiber, Halloween--pretty much in that order.

5. Anything......with lots of pretty pictures.


Now I am off to tag five others!!

PS: I am still making yarn--pictures next time.

Been Knitting Lately?

Um. No. I am completely absorbed in playing with all this lovely fiber.

Be back when I have pictures of my adventures! Stay tuned.

Yarn Day!

Today was my day to receive all of the yarn and fiber that I have ordered or won over the last month or two. Why it all showed up, all of it today? I don't know. I didn't order or win it all at the same time. There were boxes and packages at my door and in the mail box. I was so excited!!

So, first on the "show and tell" list is this gorgeous yarn that I won from the SAMKAL! Both are sock yarns. The lovely hand-dyed is a Merino/Tencel blend and the red is a bamboo/cotton/elastic nylon. There were also a cute set of stitch markers.

Next was my yarn order from Haneke Wool Fashions. I am either running low or out of a lot of the Haneke yarns that are in my etsy store so I re-ordered last week. I also ordered a bunch of Eucalan fine fiber wash. I don't know if any of you have tried their products, but let me be the first to tell you...IT IS FANTASTIC!! I was so impressed when I used one of the sample packs that had been sent to me that I knew it was the product for me! It leaves your items (in my case it was angora and wool socks and a wool sweater that felts if you just look at it too long) completely clean, very soft, smelling good, and the yarn looks brand new again. I really like it. I will be giving out free samples with every yarn order from now on, plus you will be able to purchase 2 oz. bottles of it.

And last, but certainly not least is my fiber order from enchantedknoll.etsy.com. WOW!! And I thought it was beautiful on the computer picture. There is "Araucuna--Blackbird Series" which is a superwash wool fiber with threads of sari silk running through it. (ooooo! ahhhhhh! yes I know!)

Then the 100% silk roving in "Sedona". (more oooooing! and Ahhhhhhhing!)

And the little free sample of LOVELY, TEMPTING, fiber. Which I am sure is meant to entice me to purchase a larger amount of it.

So if I dont' post again this week. You know what I am up to! I can't wait to spin this fiber up!!!

By the way, if you don't have any extra money or space left to hide more yarn and fiber DON'T go to enchantedknoll.etsy.com! WOW! They have some of the most beautiful fiber I have EVER seen. I could easily fill my storage shed and empty the saving account there!!

7 Things You've Always Wanted to Know About Me!

I've been tagged! Now I have to think up seven things about me that are at least partially interesting. Here goes:

1. I love to knit! Wow, that was tough to come up with. No, really, I LOVE to knit. My husband asked me at one point if it was my mission in life to leave behind as many knitted items as possible. To which I responded, "Well, duh!!"

2. This one is good! I have NEVER knit or crocheted a test swatch for a project in my life. I just have never seen the value of wasting all that time knitting a silly little square when I could be knitting the project instead. (Isn't that naughty!!! Oh the shame!!)

3. I would like to someday make a pair of cashmere long john's, for me of course, (you know the long underwear things you wear under your clothes to keep you warm outside in the winter). Can you imagine how WONDERFUL that would feel?

4. Pizza is my favorite food! I have worked in small town pizza resturants in the past and had the opportunity to eat pizza at least once a day every day (sometimes twice depended on how long the work day was). Did I get sick of it ever? Not once! And I love every pizza topping out there including anchovies--in fact pizza is very good with anchovies, pineapple, green peppers, olives, onions, and mushrooms. Some of my other favorite combinations are pepperoni and onions, mushrooms and pineapple, and vegetarian. MMMMMmmmmm! Now I'm hungry!

5. I know how to survive in the wilderness with nothing but a pocket knife. This comes from a combination of years of camping, hiking, reading up on the subject, a college course in wilderness survival, and practise.

6. I have never been lost. Whether in a city or in the forest I somehow always know my way around. I have been told that I have an "internal compass". Whatever it is, apparently not everyone possesses this ability because my husband is frequently lost--even when he is some place he's been ten times.

7. Hmmm. What to put for 7........Oh! How about this! My name comes from a native american language and means "Thunder bolt". HoneyBunny thinks it fits me--not sure exactly what he is implying by that.

There you have it! 7 random things to know about me. Now, I have to tag seven other people.

Yarn Addict Anni
Hege
My Ice Cream Dairy
Awsome Mom
Under the Afternoon Moon
Tania
The Delusional Knitter

Consider yourselves TAGGED!

Misc.

HoneyBunny goes in for surgery at 6 am! tomorrow. I am all ready with three pairs of socks to knit in various degrees of difficulty, the cashmere lace scarf (I am DYING to start this!!), and a bead-lace-fluffy-neck-head thing called "Ice Queen" from Knitty.com. That should keep me busy. He is a nervous wreck, as usual. We've been out "shopping" for two days spending money like there will be no tomorrow. (That is what he does when he gets in a fluff about stuff). We are going out to eat tonight so that the house isn't left a complete disaster. So, I think everything is taken care of.

P.S. Remember the son that my parents convinced to move in with them nine years ago that I mentioned in my Pity Pot blog? HE CALLED ME TODAY TO TELL ME SOME EXCITING NEWS AND FINISHED BY TELLING ME, "I love you Mom." I have been crying since......well actually from the moment he said, "Mom, it's me".

Things are definately looking up. I just hope the trend continues through tomorrow!

I Feel a Knitting Fest Coming On!

We found out Monday morning at 8:30 am that HoneyBunny's surgery was not only authorized--FINALLY--but that it would happen first thing this Friday. I guess if he's going to get it done, the less time he has to think about it the better. He wants to get it really bad, but knowing what goes on during surgery and then the aftermath makes him VERY anxious.

Of course, a nice long day and night in the hospital means...............LOTS and LOTS of knitting!!!! With careful planning I should only need two or three projects. The Sockamania sock of the month is mournfully behind, so that definately has to come along. The Turkish socks that I've been working on FOREVER should come along--maybe I'll actually make some progress on them. OH! OH! and that new shawl I found on elann.com. I should take that and start it!!! I could take that pair of "Ripples" socks that I started a few months ago and work on them. Let's see, and the knit pants for The Daughter--well, no, that's too big of a project (the rest of the projects wouldn't be able to come along if I took the pants). I know! That cashmere lace scarf that I've been DYING to make! I will take that along, after all nothing is as comforting to pet and knit as cashmere! Hmmm, that should probably do it. I need to make some socks for Pooh Bear--he is in serious need of some new socks!!!! He is just about to the age where his feet have hit a lull in growing. Maybe I should take some yarn and make up a pair of my Utimate Basic Socks. I think I need help (with my packing......not my psyche). What do you think? Let me know what you think I should take.

Happy Knitting!

A Quick FYI

HoneyBunny FINALLY got his emergency back surgery authorized! Colton's collar bone is on the mend and he is doing better. I finished my sweater (see previous post). Things are starting to get better! My parents? Let's not get crazy! I don't see that getting better anytime soon, but hey! as long as that is the only big thing that is going wrong I can handle it!

Be sure to stop by Tania's blog and see her PIF stuff. I really had fun doing this and if anyone would like to get a gift from me there are still three spots open--so click on the PIF label at the bottom of this post and post your comment! I would love to send out some "thank you's" for all the kindness that has been shown to me.

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers in behalf of my family!

My New Most Favorite Sweater!

Here it is! I LOVE my new sweater. It may be plain, but it fits perfect, it's not uncomfortable, it's warm, and the hood doesn't drive me nuts.
The yarn is Bulky weight single ply from Brown Sheep Co. (that I recycled from another sweater I made a few years ago) and the pattern is from a Leisure Arts booklet called "Carefree Sweaters". There were supposed to be three buttons up the front opening, but I knew that I would never wear it buttoned up so I eliminated that. And there was supposed to be a little front pocket pouch (like on most hoodies) but my husband said that he really likes it without it. So I didnt put that on the sweater either.
Now I have to make three more! Everyone else in the house wants one of their own.

In Hiding Today

I have found that when everything goes wrong I go through several stages.

1. Anger. More like mad. I am so angry that it causes insanity, hence the "mad" description.

2. Denial. I can fix this! There has GOT to be SOMETHING I can do or someone that I can call and fix all of this mess.

3. Revenge. I start thinking of ways to make people pay for all of the wrongs they have committed against me and my family. (This is where things take a turn for the worst and get ugly).

4. Depression. I don't sleep, I don't care, I hurt inside and out. I have chest pains. I quit knitting. (SHOCKING! I know. For those of you who know me, just knowing that I would let time pass without picking up yarn and needles is really scarey!)

5. Attempts to resume living. This is where I knit until my hands hurt, I get head aches, my neck hurts from being so stressed out, I can be seen "petting" my favorite yarns, and laughing at stupid tv commercials in an effort to "cheer up" (I don't even like tv!).

6. Hiding. I don't want to go out, I don't want anyone to call me because I can't handle anymore bad news, I can't handle anymore depression or anger (madness), I don't want to open my curtains, I don't want to get dressed, I daydream about running away to my "undisclosed location in Mexico" and not telling anyone, and my hands hurt from knitting too much (I finished the hooded sweater, dyed and skeined up a thousand yards of yarn, knit my Sockamania sock to the half-way point, and finished the hand spun yarn fingerless mitts yesterday--and that was just in my spare time while I wasn't running errands, shopping, meeting friends for lunch, crying over my husband dilemma, cleaning up a MUDDY dog, picking up kids from school, etc, etc, etc). I'm not depressed, I just want to hide from everything.

Hiding is where I am today. I have been running around the internet reading all of your blogs. I am so happy to have all of you visiting me here!!! Your blogs and comments have picked me up and helped me each day the last two weeks. I can't say thank you enough. I hope that each of you receive an added measure of peace and happiness in your lives for showing so much kindness to me. I wish I could send all of you something knitted out of the softest warmest fiber--that's my way of showing how much I love/appreciate you. When I give knitted items away I feel like I am giving you a hug that you can wear everyday.

So, onward (forward, upward, something). Here is the yarn I dyed and skeined up yesterday. I know, I know, I am NOT a "pink person", but I really like it combined with brown. And Daisies are my MOST favorite flower so I had to do something to pay tribute to them. Both yarns can be found in my etsy store.

I will try to get some pictures taken of all the FO's for next time. The hooded sweater is GREAT!

Well, I HAVE to go to the grocery store or there will be problems when The Daughter gets home from school--there's nothing to eat or drink in the house. Which means I have to shower, get dressed and drag myself out to the car--kicking and screaming, "I DON'T WANNA GO!!!" I'll have to reward myself when I get home with an entire afternoon of SERIOUS knitting................. and hiding.

Etc, etc, etc

Wow, thank you so much for all of your kind words of encouragement. You will probably never know how much it has meant to me. Things have not improved--in fact my son hurt his shoulder really bad at scouts Wednesday night--but it just helps so much to know people care about me. (When you don't have the love of your parents it's very easy to believe that no one should or could care about you).

I don't really feel like writing, but thought I should catch you up on my knitting. I haven't knit much this week because of depression, but last week I did quite a bit. So here are the pictures.

These are some fingerless mitts that worked up so fast I was even surprised when I got done. I literally made them in the duration of a movie. The pattern is "Evangeline" from MagKnits January 2008. I hand-dyed some peruvian worsted weight wool and used the wrist length version of the pattern. Though I am not fond of bright yellow and greens they are still very pretty. The color reminds me of daffodils--and I LOVE daffodils. They are a surprise present for someone. I really hope she likes them!

These are some basic socks I made with some of the yarn I got from Hege in a yarn swap. I love these! especially the colors! I am unusally fond of olive green and tan. Midnight blue is my favorite color, but olive green and tan come in a close second. These will be a birthday present for HoneyBunny.

This is the start of this months Sockamania pattern. It has little lace hearts all up the foot and then on the leg. I am not to the heel part (you knit them starting from the toe). I couldn't resist making them in Valentine red--again, my hand-dyed yarn.

And finally, I began making another pair of fingerless mitts. These are "Dashing" from Knitty: Spring 2007. The yarn is some of my handspun. It's a yarn that I have been so enamored with that I couldn't bring myself to knit it. It is a blend of cashmere, silk, angora, and a little bit of extremely soft, dark chocolate colored wool. These will definately be for me--I get a little possessive with MY yarn. I am so in love with these; the pattern is simple and beautiful, the yarn--I really don't need to comment further on my love for it, and they are working up quickly. When I showed them to HoneyBunny he exclaimed, "Wow! are those for me? I can't wait!" Ummmm NO! I'll think about letting him borrow them, maybe, if he is really nice, does everything the doctors tell him to do, and he gets well and never hurts himself again.

It always improves my mood to talk about knitting. I love knitting and everything it has done and continues to do for me. As silly as it sounds--to those who don't knit or haven't been knitting for many years--knitting is what gets me from one day to the next.

I knit to live and live to knit.

The Pity Pot

I have been sitting on my pity pot for a couple of days (maybe longer). If you do not like to read a bunch of whining please exit now because some serious whining is about to take place. I will apologize in advance, please forgive me.

1. Five years ago my parents and I had a serious falling out. After 30 some years of constant fighting, back stabbing, rumor spreading, lying, etc. I had had it with them. They are what has been labeled "Toxic Parents". I have had to go to counselling to over-come the controlling mind games, abuse, and manipulation they put me through growing up. Not to mention, about ten years ago they convinced my oldest son that my husband and I were terrible people and that he should do some really deplorable and terrible things so that we would kick him out and he could come live with them because "they love him more than" us. Which he did and, not knowing what else to do, allowed him to move in with them. During the past five years we have had no contact, even if they see me in a building they avoid me completely as if all of this is something I have done wrong. (This is the VERY short version of all the stuff they have done to me, my husband, and our children). So Sunday I got a call from my brother that our uncle (my father's brother) had died last week. Not only did my parents not call and tell me, but they didn't think I would care. (My problem is with them! Not anyone else in my family. I have always been very close to my extended family. Unfortunately they are unaware of my parents problems.) I had to leave church because I mentally collapsed! See, this isn't the only tragedy going on in my life right now.......................

2. Shortly before the fall out with my parents, my husband, children, and I were involved in a car accident. A drunk driver hit us at a stop light (he was travelling at 45 mph and we were stopped). This accident resulted in the loss of my husbands business, the loss of my VERY good bank job, and some long lasting, on-going, pain and suffering for us and our children. After a year of not working my husband got his CDL and went to work in the oil field. His second week, after a month of training, he BROKE his back at work. Good thing for Workman's Comp. insurance right? WRONG!!!!! He spent ELEVEN MONTHS trying to work, driving trucks, with his back broke because the insurance company wouldn't admit responsibility. As a result, he has permanent nerve damage to his left leg, the bone in the area where it was broke grew and is currently causing him unimaginable amounts of pain. After a HUGE court battle he finally got some surgery. After being off work for another six months for recovery, they determined that the fusion did not work and we began fighting the insurance company again so that he could get another surgery. Finally, more than a year after the first surgery, he got a second surgery during which time the surgeon tore a hole in his spinal cord and created a spinal fluid leak. That wouldn't have been too bad except that the physical therapists at the hospital didn't read his chart that said my husband was NOT to be moved for three days. So after getting him up they suddenly realized something was not right. He spent over a week in the hospital and almost died because his vitals wouldn't recover. When he got out of the hospital he spent another four months off work trying to recover. A year later (it's been about three and a half years now) he is still in a terrible amount of pain, the neurologist says he has severe nerve damage, and he has all kinds of problems walking, they (the surgeon and doctors) THINK that the rods in his back is causing the current trouble so begins the process of getting the insurance company to pay for another surgery. Just this past summer he had to have an emergency hernia operation (a complication resulting from all of the other medical problems), and then surgery to remove the rods in his back. Unfortunately, he is still in unbearable pain--and that is WITH taking all of the pain medication he takes. We finally convinced the surgeon to really look at the MRI's and x-rays, and WHAT DO YOU KNOW!!!!!!!!!! All of the movement from his back being broke and the bone trying to grow in has caused the opening for the nerve that runs down his left leg to grow closed over the nerves, pinching them off. GET THIS! The surgeon said, "Here let's look at the MRI from before we took the rods out. You can see the problem much clearer in that picture". WHAT?!!! BEFORE THE RODS WERE TAKEN OUT THIS PROBLEM WAS OBVIOUS!!!!!! (Deep breath). So, here we are four going on five years later back where we started almost. My husbands nerve problems are so sever that they don't know if the nerves will recover after being cut off for so long. He can barely walk, frequently trips, has fallen several times, is faced with loosing his job and probably will not be able to find another one because of his lack of education and his current physical limitations. We are, AGAIN, fighting the insurance company to authorize another surgery--who knows how long it will take this time.

3. Yes, there's more. After going on long term disability from the bank, I started trying to figure out what I was going to do for an income. I tried going back to college, but with my husbands problems it just was not going fast enough and we needed an income now. I quit school last April and have been trying to find a way to make money since. I have my own list of physical limitations because of the car accident and that makes it very hard to take just any job. Not to mention, the job needs to make enough money to support our family in the case that my husband ends up permanently disabled (ok, MORE disabled that he is now). I have been trying to work at home teaching knitting, spinning, etc, selling yarn and fiber, etc, whatever I can do to make a little extra. Unfortunately I can't get my business to go. I have applied for so many jobs that I am more than qualified for without any results. (Deep breath again)

4. Do you have or have you had a teen age daughter? Need I say more? As if there wasn't enough stress.

I can't believe this is my life! I am certain that there are those out there with worse problems than us and I feel a deep and emotional sorrow for them because I don't know how we have made it, not to mention how others with worse problems are making it. Believe it or not there is more, I haven't even mentioned all of the problems with our lawyer.

Thank you all for listening if you managed to read this whole sob story. I try to not think about all of this at once, but when it starts all going on at once it becomes difficult to see where one problem ends and the next begins. This has been nice to get it all off my chest for the day. It also helps to read all of your blogs each day, by taking my mind off what I have going on in my life.

Hege gave me this award the other day. I want her to know that she makes my day everyday, as do many of you.

Thank goodness for knitting!!!