I Guess I'm "It"

I don't like Meme's and I don't believe I have ever did one. I do like the blogger, Girl Meets Needle, who tagged me, so what the hell, here I go.

Here's how it works:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Six random things about Knitting Kitties.

1. I never wanted to be a nurse. I registered for nursing school because of a dare from a friend. The good thing was I ended up loving it. Bad thing I hurt my back at work nine years ago and haven't been able to work since.

2. My two middle toes are double jointed. As a child I could put my foot flat on the floor and wiggle my toes back and forth to gross out my mother. She said it looks like worms popping out of their holes.

3. We once had 18 pets all at the same time. 2 dogs, 3 cats, 2 bunnies, 2 parakeets, 2 hamsters, 3 hermit crabs, 1 guinea pig, 1 turtle, 1 anole lizard and 1 gold fish. My youngest was in kindergarten at the time, his teacher loved us because we brought the caged animals in for show and tell. Yes, I ended being the cage cleaner so when they died they weren't replaced. "Mom, I'll take care of it, really, I will."

4. I drove from NY to Tucson, AZ through an ice storm, one small blizard, and a huge blizzard in Missouri and Oklahoma in 60 hrs. We missed being in the middle of a 100 car pile up on the Oklahoma Turnpike by mere minutes because I had to use the restroom.

5. I've wanted to write a novel since I was 7 or 8, doesn't matter if gets published. Little House and Judy Blume's books held me captive back then.

6. I told my second grade teacher, "God made fast people and slow people. He made me a slow person. If you want me to move faster then you have to talk to God." When she told to speed it up and move faster. My mom got called in over that one.

That was harder than just writing a regular post. I'm going to break rules 4 and 5 and not tag anyone. If you want to do this go ahead.

We've been hit with storms from the west. My joints are hollering. I've been dying SW Merino, BFL fiber and merino/silk fingering wt yarn for a big shop update after Christmas.

The sock yarn God's ignore my prayers from the big for me order I placed before Rhinebeck. It's taking me awhile to get it all dyed up. So far, I've only sold one skein. I'm seriously considering just sticking to selling fiber. We'll see how it goes after the holidays.

I have ten sock blanks and dyed five for the shop. Fiddling about my stash, I found some winter camouflage fabric I bought long ago to make DS#1 pants. It reminded of the green camouflage yarn my exMIL bought and made DS#2 a hat. We were disappointed how stripey and not really like camo at all. So, I dyed up a couple blanks with a camouflage in winter and princess (for girls). I think I should dye one for myself and knit it to see how it really turns out.

Yes, I'm Still Here

Nano ended in perfect time. My pain levels have increased with a week spent in bed. I'm just not good about being online and social around the holidays. It's not that I'm anti-social, I just don't enjoy the holidays much for several years now. My son's don't even call me unless my daughter makes them. I realize I spent 20 years of my life on people who can forget me like yesterday's trash unless they want something from me. So, it's really hard to be cheerful and I really don't want to bring anyone else down with me.

The bunnies have only been coming out from under the desk long enough to eat and bathroom while I'm up. When I get up during the night they are sitting in the middle of the room. We have a cold draft that comes in the bottom of the door, is the reason I think they aren't hanging out in their usual spot. I do miss them sitting there gazing at me in the evenings.

I spent last week finishing my mom's Rhinebeck socks, finally. I finished the second sock in record time. Saturday morning, I just started the gusset decreases when she called and said she would pick me up to grocery shop in 2 hrs. I was one inch away from the toe decreases when she got here, so I took the socks with me. I knitted in the car, at the bank, in line and at the cash register. I received really odd looks at the stores. When we pulled in my parking lot, I was just finishing up the kitchener stitch. Mom kept telling to wait til next week, but I was determined to finish.

No picture of the finished pair, but here is a picture of the first sock with what was left of the skein.



Also a shot of the calf shaping and the gusset.



Mom called me later that evening and said they fit her perfectly. Yay!!

I'm now working on her requested leg warmers. I'm using the two socks on circulars method working from the inner and outer portion of a center pull ball. I can't say I'm all that impressed with the method, but it works for this project. No pictures yet.

I've been tagged, so I'll be back soon. Just don't mind the fact that I'm ignoring the seasonal celebrations, sort of. I'm baking cookies with GD this week, and there is my fudge and peanut brittle making for family gift giving. Which reminds me of a question I asked my mom while buying supplies.

Why is it when I buy an expensive cookie or candy tray from the store it feels like a nice gift, but I when I make it myself and give even more than on a store tray I feel like I'm being cheap? I don't have an answer.