Ah... Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving!
Very happy.. it comes at just the right time to give me a couple days off, a nice family meal, and time to possibly catch up with life.
I've been just enough out of sorts this week that I wanted to put down what I am thankful for - mostly to remind myself.
This year I am primarily thankful for my family. I have an awesome husband and 2 great daughters. I may be especially thankful that my oldest is only 10, and not at an age where a talk like
<a href="http://www.yarnharlot.ca/blog/">Stephanie's
</a> is necessary...
I am thankful that my parents are my parents. I am additionally thankful that my dad lives with us during the workweek - making my life much simpler. And, having an additional adult around to give the Big One that adult one-on-one time that she needs, and could be cheated out of by a demanding 2 year old.
I am thankful that my sisters are both wonderful people.
I am thankful that both of my grandmothers are still with us. I am also thankful that though my paternal grandmother is not always sure of who I am when I visit, that she seems happy in the nursing home.
I am thankful for my job. Both since I quite enjoy what I do, and that my in office time is flexible allowing me to be involved with things that happen during usual work hours.
I am thankful that I have ways of sharing gifts - by singing in church and social groups, and by directing a children's choir. That I can consider starting a math club for 5th graders at school. That Destination Imagination is starting up and I might as well say I'll team manage again... and that my (aformentioned wonderful) husband helps me stay sane when I make statements like that.
I am thankful that, though going through trying times, the United States is still a good country to live in. And that when things look scary, we have people like
<a href="egrowndaisy.us/">Kerstin
</a>, wake us up. People like
<a href="http://yentala.typepad.com/cyber_yenta/">Yentala
</a> and
<a href="http://wendyknits.net/">Wendy
</a> bringing bloggers together for a worthy cause,
<a href="aknits.typepad.com/lifelong_knitter/">Greta
</a> reminding us of the blessings life brings, and
<a href="http://www.yarnagogo.com/blog/">Rachel
</a> to inspire us to try. Along with the 100 or so other blogs I read and am touched, inspired and humbled by.
I am thankful for all the opportunities I have had in my life that my grandmother's could only have dreamed of.
Ack. That got heavy.... I am thankful for so much, though! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving (you American's out there)
New template. Sidebar issues fixed. Possibly even my feed issues fixed.
Here's a bloglines link to subscribe to my feed:<a href="http://www.bloglines.com/sub/http://www.rubber-ducky.net/blog/atom.xml">
<img src="http://www.bloglines.com/images/sub_modern2.gif" border="0" alt="Subscribe with Bloglines" />
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Or if you use a different XML aggregator - I use NetNewsWire on my Mac, and love it... (I have Bloglines right now because I'm waiting for v2 of NNW to come out and support Atom feeds...)
<p> <a href="http://www.rubber-ducky.net/blog/atom.xml">Atom XML feed</a> </p>
I may like this template. I may not. We'll see - getting it set up my way wasn't too scary, so I may be changing it again soon.
And, one more thing...
untitledI forgot - I also have a pic of the front and back of my Kersti. Just cause they're done...
Pretty nice, if I do say so myself.
Reminder to self - work on getting my entire feed published.
There is a feed here:
feed, but for some reason, it only posts the first line. Maybe because I rarely have titles on my posts. Hmmm.
Update - Yes. Its because I don't usually title my post - mostly because the version of Ecto I'm using didn't format the Title field right to be picked up by Blogger. I'm trying a new version now, and if that doesn't work then I'll remove the titles from my blog setup. I don't need titles anyways... right?
It is set in Blogger for a full feed. Once I get it working, I'll link it from my sidebar (which is consistnely at the bottom. I don't know why. Sigh again.)
still here... really
OK. I'm here - really...
Now, with Pictures.
Of course, everything I was knitting last week went on hold because I am a FICKLE KNITTER. I decided my friends little girl needed a hat and mittens to match her Leopard Print coat. (yes, the same little girl with the panda jacket). So, I went yarn shopping, and got some Wonderful Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran yarn in a Taupe and black from my LYS, and ordered white from
Yarn Market. Yummy yarn - and machine washable. What more could you ask for?
I took these pictures on Wednesday, intending on posting then - so I'm much farther...
The hat is done now - I was waiting for the white to add the I-cord trim and ties.
This mitten is done, and the other is started.
Of course, I want to give these on Saturday - any bets on whether I 1) get the other mitten done and 2) decide to rip out the first mitten because its too big in the hand by about an inch?
Oh - hat is the Heart Hat from EZ's Knitting Workshop. I've made a bunch of these - its a great pattern. And the mittens are from Big Fish, Little Fish by Jil Eaton - picked solely because they were kid-sized two needle mittens... and I couldn't find a complete set of DPN's in the right size. ( Sigh.) Great easy mitt pattern, though.
Over the weekend, I also started this:
This will have a hood attached, and the black ends will become fingerless mitts. Its a Panda Hoodie Scarf for my sister - who fell in love with the Panda Sweater last year. This I knocked together on my knitting machine. I started the hood, but it was too small - and haven't gotten back to my machine since. I like it in small doses... when it behaves. I'm so tempted to permanently attach it to a board so the joins don't shift. But, what do I expect for $80?
After I finish these, my mom wants a Charlotte Poncho. Which I may or may not make... depending on whether I can find yarn I think she'd like. And, I need to make something girly for the other baby girl who hasn't gotten anything yet. I haven't found a pattern to fall in love with yet.
I need to post more often. I keep having stories I'd like to tell, but run out of space. Again, today... maybe soon.
Thanks Margene!
I found the description just like she said - and I'm ready to increase into the 2nd stitch instead of the 3rd as described in
Kerstin's blog.
Knitbloggers are the best :-)
Kersti sleeves!I've started the sleeves of my Kersti Ribby Raglan!
This is a quick post to ask a question - and to remind myself to research this later. I know I read that some people changed either the increases or decreases on the sleeves to look better... I of course didn't take a note, so all I have is a slim memory...
Leave a comment if you remember - I'll be googling tonight looking for the info! thanks!
What have I done for the last week...plus... ack.
Well. On Oct. 29th and 30th I made a Halloween costume. Whenever I do this, I underestimate how much time even a simple project will take. My older daughter wanted to be a cat. This is a simple costume - nothing like the
Harlot put together. But, the fine pile velvet-like material was time consuming to lay out and cut. And difficult to sew. 3 hours for the cutting, 6 hours for the sewing. And I do know what I'm doing - but my sewing machine needs a tune-up... it keeps screwing up the tension. It did turn out very cute - see?
The Little One was Spiderman - and very adorable.
And, Halloween morning my choir sang. Now - not a choir I'm singing in. My choir that I'm directing. I've never directed a choir before, and I'm having a great time. I've got a group of 11 3rd and 4th grade girls from a afterschool program at my church every Tuesday. They are enthusiastic and did a great job.
This last weekend was a milestone in the Little One's life - she moved from her crib to a toddler bed. Painless transition - she loves being able to climb in and out of the bed! We're still potty training - its going well at daycare, but she is resisting using the bathroom at home. Ah, well. Patience - right?
On the knitting front - I'm on the first set of long rows on my Lara. 40ish out of 52 rows... very boring. But the yarn is yummy to work with - the only consolation.
While the Vikings LOST tonight, I finished the front of my Kersti Ribby Raglan. Finally. Sleeves, here I come. I might have this done before there is snow on the ground. (Not before it snows.... it snowed a bit here tonight. You don't want to hear my reaction.)
I haven't yet started my Rogue. Sniff. And, I may have to rearrange my knitting - its getting onto Christmas, and I was planning on making a sweater for my good friends little baby girl. And, my mom requested a Charlotte Poncho. Which is not all bad - I have to buy more Koigu KPPPM, then! But, its looking like I won't get Rogue started until close to Christmas. Ah, well.
Oh. And my boss's wife is having a baby, so a baby present is on the list. Nope, not starting Rogue until Christmas.
I've been too depressed to post since last Tuesday.
I keep thinking of posting... but my politics keep getting in the way. And my reactions to others politics.
My (brief) thoughts - I'm a liberal. Unapologetically liberal. I am disappointed by the election. However, I do not pity those who voted for Bush, nor do I think they are idiots. I am friends with people who voted for Bush. They have just as good reasons (in their world) for voting for Bush as I have (in my world) for voting for Kerry. I am not brokenhearted for the nation - it was a close race. (Not as close as last time - but still close). We still have our republic. There was amazing voter turnout - that is the biggest plus. That more people have gotten involved - even if in the most superficial manner - can in the long run bring nothing but good.
I am not planning on moving to Canada. That would be giving up. I am not giving up.
I am planning on being more active in politics. I will from time to time possibly mention this on this blog. However, I will mostly stick to what I have been writing about - my knitting, and my life.
I have read some great postings in the last few days. I greatly admire Kerstin the
Crazy Daisy. I have been (after the first posting, getting stuff out of her system) enjoyed what Teresa at
Making Light has been saying. I love
this post by Sheila over at her blog.
There. That's my post on politics. Its been brewing all week... and needed to get out before I can get back to the rest of my life.
Quick update -
Secret Pal 2 reveal...
(I agree with my secret pal recipient - that word just doesn't work, does it...)
So, as I let slip earlier this month... My Secret Pal was Melissa from
Webheads. It was much fun to get stuff from her - she's pretty amazing at gifting! Around getting surgery, even! Thanks again, Melissa
My Secret Pal recipient was Kim from
Kim's Knitting World. Now, it does turn out that I am a bad Secret Pal. I didn't send out my last gift to Kim until last Friday - and she won't get it for a while. Hopefully she likes it... I did send her email yesterday letting her know who I was.
Heidi - thanks for organizing this! It was SUCH fun!!!
