The boo household has germs!

It's been a little crazy here lately. My infant son was hospitalized with RSV for several days. He is on the mend, thank God, but now I'm sick. Nothing like immune suppression combined with the hospital! ugh

I'm busy sock knitting. Almost done with pair number 2 that I owe a friend. Then I need to start on a gift for a friend's wedding. She has requested a handknit. That's about the only thing good about being sick; more time to knit.

Secret Pal 10

I had so much fun with Secret Pal 9, I'm doing it again! Here's my questionnaire:

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I love wool, alpaca, merino, cashmere, and silk. No cotton please, it hurts my hands.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Their original packaging. I would love something better to keep them in.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? Since I was little; my grandma taught me. I would say I am intermediate.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? Yes, I'll update it and add it later.

5. What's your favorite scent? Vanilla

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Yes! I love most candy, but really love Pez and sour things. I am also addicted to coffee. I just love to go get something lovely at starbucks.

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I am learning to spin. My hubby said I can have a wheel for my birthday! Yea!

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) I like modern country, and classical guitar. I also like English and Irish folk singing.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I love purples and greens. I'm not crazy about neon type colors.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I'm married with 3 kids. We have 2 cats.

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? All but ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? Socks and bags. Lace is slowly taking over.

13. What are you knitting right now? Two pairs of socks, a shawl and a bag

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Love them!

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Circular, and anything but metal.

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? I have both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Too old to admit. lol

18. What is your favorite holiday? Christmas

19. Is there anything that you collect? Coffee mugs and classic pooh

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I subscribe to Interweave.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I'd like to get better at lace and cables.

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Yes. My shoe size is 9.

23. When is your birthday? May 18th.

Oh joy, wintery mix!

Nothing like a little freezing rain/snow mix to brighten your day. ugh I wish it would just snow. Instead, we get this crud. What a weird winter this has been.

I just started a pair of socks for a friend using a pattern from Sensational Knitted Socks. It's turning out nicely. I'm using Knit Picks Gloss. It's the first time I've tried it, and I'm liking the yarn so far. Soft and not too splitty. I'll see if I can get a sock picture later.

I've been good so far

I even resisted the Cherry Tree Hill new years sale. I need to go throught the stash and organize now. I have a bunch of things swirling around in my head. I need to decide what I want to make and when. I need to finish Lady Eleanor. I just needed an entrelac break...the thing is huge! I've started the flower basket shawl and am about 20 rows in. I will put in my lifeline at 25 and keep on going. I'm halfway through the first glove of Fetching, and like the pattern a lot. That may be the first thing on my list to finish.

We got a dusting of snow today. It sure doesn't seem like winter, that's for sure. My bulbs are all confused. They started to appear about a week ago. I hope I don't have my daffodils show up in the middle of winter!

Happy New Year

My yarn diet has officially begun. No more buying yarn for the next 9 months! Can she do it? lol

Here's to hoping for a healthier year ahead. I'm happy to be here to complain.

The kids are back in school, so maybe I can get some knitting done today while the baby naps. I had to frog a lace scarf yesterday, dammit. Maybe I can get some of it done today without the 5 and 6 year old interruptions. You should have heard them this morning. Awwww, I don't wanna go back. Is vacation over already?

Knit From Your Stash 2007!

Knit From Your Stash 2007: Guidelines

1. The Knit-From-Your-Stash-a-Thon will start January 1, 2007 and run through September 30, 2007 -- a period of nine months.

2. We will not buy any yarn during that period, with the following exceptions:

2.a. Sock yarn does not count. What? You think we are made of stone?

2.b. If someone asks for a specific knitted gift that we really and truly do not have the yarn for, we may buy yarn to knit that gift.

2.c. If we are knitting something and run out of yarn, we may purchase enough to complete the project.

2.d. We each get one "Get Out of Jail Free" card -- we are each allowed to fall off the wagon one time.

3. We are allowed to receive gifts of yarn.

4. Spinning fiber of any sort is exempt.

My stash has become way, way too big. I need to start actually using some of it. We'll see how I do.

Fear

I've never really thought of myself as a fearful person. I usually have a good outlook. I'm learning a lot about fear now. It has become part of my daily existance. It's so hard to talk about. It feels like if I do, it will become real; this whole terrible situation will become real. Fear hangs over our house like an unwelcome guest, the kind that you wish would just get the hint and leave. But he doesn't. The kids are blissfully unaware at this point, and I want to keep it that way. I don't know how they will possibly understand that Mommy is dying. It would be different if we could give them a time, or the how's and why's, but it's much more complicated than that. And then there is the hope that I will somehow beat this thing, and we don't want them to go through the anxiety when there is still a chance.

I feel so sick. I'm in so much pain. This is so hard. I hope I'm up to the task.