I heart my Better Pal

I just got the nicest package in the mail! Look how spoiled I am!
Before:


And After!

I was so excited to see the Newman’s Own chocolates. First of all, I have a huge sweet tooth. Secondly, I am really into socially responsible business and organic products, and these chocolates are both. I’ve bought this candy for others, but never tried it myself! I am super excited to indulge in these goodies…

There was also this cool stuff called Gloves in a Bottle. I’ve never heard of it, but it seems right up my alley. I need moisturized hands for knitting (and for showing off my purty ring, of course!).

I have been wanting to try the Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool for some time, and now I have a stash of it! I think it wants to be a Branching Out scarf, don’t you? Or I could use it to make my first ever crocheted item, once I practice on the yarn in the Cozy Crochet kit my BP got me! Before you know it I’ll be making those Flourish scarves right and left like Purly Whites.

Finally, there were crunchy Utz treats as well. Does my Better Pal know me or what? Thank you, thank you, Better Pal – for great gifts and good wishes as well. Mwah!

Me-me-meme

4 jobs you have had in your life:
Public library clerk
Legislative Assistant in U.S. Congress
Parking lot attendant (at a race track, no less)
Survey researcher

4 movies you could watch over & over:
Clerks
The Pajama Game
The Sound of Music
A Fish Called Wanda

4 places you have lived:
Toledo, OH
Amherst, MA
Washington, DC
Ann Arbor, MI

4 TV shows you love to watch:
House
That 70s Show
CSI: Miami
24

4 places you have been on vacation:
Vancouver, BC
Boothbay Harbor, ME
Ocracoke Island, NC
Nashville, TN

4 websites you visit daily:
Bloglines (this counts for many, including news, blogs, etc.)
Elann
Google (duh)

4 of your favorite foods:
Crème brulee
Asparagus
Broccoli
Fettucine alfredo (so if I eat veggies with the creamy stuff, it’s just as good as a turkey sandwich, right?)

4 places you would rather be right now:
Shopping
Hanging out with my mom
A coffeeshop
Someplace sunny and warm
(sounds like a vacation would be in order...)

My little corner of the world

Since my wedding-induced meltdown a couple of weeks ago, I have been trying to cultivate a little serenity in my life. I've started buying fresh flowers again, something that makes me oh-so happy that I rarely remember to do. The serene-green desktop image on my computer is new and also adds to my feeling of calm. And of course - there's yarn! My order from Webs arrived, and I started swatching with the Cascade Cloud 9 I ordered. I felt a few angora wisps tickling my nose as I knit, but they weren't major. The colors are Valentine's Day-appropriate, but that wasn't my intention - they just felt spring-y to me. I probably won't finish the sweater by V-day anyway.

I'm also enjoying reading Zen and the Art of Knitting. It has a lot of wonderful stories about the many ways that knitting can enrich one's life - bringing peace after suffering a loss, building up one's confidence and ability to take risks, gaining patience, making connections with others in the community...the list goes on and on. I have experienced many of these changes in my own life as a result of knitting. But the book also talks about the meditative side of knitting, how some people experience a trance-like state or a sort of 'natural high.' I can't say that I've ever experienced this, and I wonder - why not? It got me thinking about how much I focus on knitting when I'm knitting, and how much I focus on any one thing while I am doing it. I am a consummate multi-tasker, which is helpful in many ways but may limit my ability to 'be in the moment.' Not sure.

This book offers lots of gems for introspection. The following passage was an especially poignant one for me:

Though Cecile doesn't view her handcraft as anything particularly spiritual, still, she said she has gained great wisdom from the practice. "Steadiness is important," she wrote. "Just being steady about one thing when the rest of your life is in chaos can keep it all in balance."

Peace be with you all...

Howdy

Thanks so very much for the warm wishes after I spewed my anti-wedding propaganda. It means a lot to me to know you are all rooting for me! I could get more detailed about what is actually happening, but - sometimes it bores even ME so I can imagine how you would feel. Suffice it to say, I'm now cautiously optimistic that we might just pull off this wedding thing. Fingers crossed...

Even though I have done very little knitting lately, I did do some seaming - which as it turns out was more productive. See below for my moment of zen:


And a closer look:


Project details: Debbie Bliss Lara pattern. Made in Ellen's 1/2 Pint Farm 100% merino, hand-dyed (Colorway: Stormy Skies) - purchased at Maryland Sheep & Wool 2005.

This pattern was a dream: so easy to follow and designed with minimal seaming (it's made in one piece). I was really worried that the sleeves would be too long - I lengthened them, but it turned out okay because part of the sleeve is really the shoulder. I would love to make several more - maybe even one in a cotton blend.

I have some projects to finish, but of course my mind is already on the next new project. I ordered a new yarn from Cascade called Cloud 9 - they have it at Webs - and am planning a short-sleeved sweater to wear this spring. I don't think I can call it my own design, but it borrows some ideas and motifs and combines them in my own way. I'm excited and waiting on pins and needles for my yarn to arrive in the mail.

Catch you later!

Three simple rules

Rule #1: Don’t get married.

Rule #2: Well, okay, getting married is a good thing. But if you’re going to get married, whatever you do – don’t get stressed out about the wedding. After all, it _is_ only one day.

Rule #3: Okay. Get married, and – like it or not – you will probably have some stress about your wedding. But just remember: don’t let your stress get in the way of your knitting!

So these days I'm breakin' all the rules. I haven’t knitted anything to speak of since my return flight from Christmas, and it doesn’t help that I have so many projects going that it all seems a little overwhelming. I have four WIPs – two sweaters that need seaming, mom’s shawl (nope, didn’t finish for Christmas), and a toddler sweater that was sort of meant to be a holiday gift.

Anyway, I guess I’m trying to say that the blog may be a little quiet for a while. It’s been so nice to hear from you all over the holidays, and I owe each of you a note. Normally I am an excellent multitasker but even for me the brain is on overload. So, begging your pardon – I'll be back later.