Sunshine

It was a warm sunny day today and we enjoyed it! No rain, no wind...just running around and picking tangerines. Now, I know that most of the country is still cold and winter like but here it is beautiful...at least for a while!

I finished some knitting since my last post. The socks are for my Loopy Groupie Swap pal and the rest are mine, all mine! I am in the middle of some more swaps too...Hogwarts Sock Swap 3, Lost in Translation, Wes Anderson, and an 80's Swap. Only need to knit for the HSS 3 swap so that is good news!

So, off to watch more Lost reruns on the ABC site. I am hooked.

OK...I'm posting images above from Flickr. I can't get from my hard drive right now!

Merci! Et au revoir Charlie.

One of million and one great things about Ravelry - the Groups. I am in a Lost Group, STR group, David Bowie group, 80's group and a Wes Anderson group. The amazing hostess has starting some really fun swaps. The first one I joined was a Marie Antionette swap (I know, not Wes Anderson but you can see how this movie might have a common fan base?). I sent my package off last week and received my goodies on Friday. Wow! Such creative goodies! Hand dyed yarn in the MA colorway, cake stitch markers, a MA mirror, knitting needles, some very pink sock yarn, MA trivia/note cards and some little heart shaped cakes which were eaten up before they could be photographed. A million thanks to Valerie! She is just amazing. And she has some hand dyed yarn for sale at her etsy sight.





Needless to say, I joined the Wes Anderson quarterly swap and the Lost in Translation swap.

In other exciting news, we finished season 3 of LOST last night. I cried of course when Charlie died. I liked his character a lot. So - wow. My head is swimming with theories and quesses and I can't wait for season 4 to start.

Here is my youngest running in the yard in his pj's.

CAtWS

Many many thanks to Nicole, my Christmas Around the World swap partner. She sent me an amazing package last week all the way from Germany. The stollen and gingerbread cookies have been eaten but the chocolate Santa has managed to live another week! I am amazed that he has lasted so long in this house! Oh, and some hand warmers, Opal ladybug sock yarn, needles and a lovely striped scarf. The knitting is so flawless...such a lovely set of goodies! Thanks Nicole!

Sadly, my downstream partner hasn't gotten her package yet. I am starting to feel like it may be lost somewhere out there in postalspace.

See...I was knitting!

Here they are, some finished objects from 07. I actually knit a lot over the past month but most of the things I made were gifts. And a dove in a leaf less tree.

2008 Already!

Our tree is down but I still miss the lights. This is an image I took of the lights the first night it was up.

I try to think of the last time I blogged and I'm overwhelmed by what has happened in my life since then...Birthdays, Disneyland, parties, Christmas, a trip to San Francisco, New Years, and my mother-in-law's visit. All of this and a sinus infection and a severely stubbed toe that has put me in a black velcro boot for the past week. It was a lovely time of year and boy was it packed with family and friends. Perfect!

Oh, and I've finished many a knitting projects but don't have them photographed properly enough to post. And I've received a lovely gift from my Christmas Around The World partner but again I don't have my goodies photographed yet. So, I need to find some time now that we have blue skies to make some images of the FO's and swap goodies.

I really want 08 to be about finishing what I start. I find that my resolutions never end up lasting. Maybe I have to call them something else? It takes 21 days to change a habit and less time to make something a habit and I know that by January 21 I may not have adopted any healthy habits or abandoned any bad habits. I'm going to give myself all of 08 to change and every day to work on those changes. I was really sad about my toe because I wanted to start walking/running again. Then I realized that even if I don't start something at the beginning of the year it is not the end of the world - al that matters is that I start. So, for 08 I will start yoga again, running, working on some poor abandoned UFOs, reading every night and traveling more. I will give these thing a go for 21 days (well, except for traveling) at least.

Time Management

I stink at time management. What really stinks is when my poor planning hurts others. So, to my wonderful Secret Pal I apologize for not posting photos of my package yet! I have too many things happening and all I want to do in my free time is sit and space out. I think this has been the worst year for allergies. My head always feels in a fog. So, tonight I am writing to tell Colette thanks so much for the roving, the sock yarn, the chocolate, the notepad, the soap and the satin bags. So wonderful and thoughtful! 2008 will be the year I learn to spin!



Now, I'm going to go be a slug and watch a movie. It's my birthday I can have the night off. More info on Ravelry - I'm jfw04 there - I've been knitting but can't figure out my photo stuff once again!

Oh Deer!

I feel like I haven't posted in ages. Probably because I haven't. Family trips, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, colds...I feel so tired at night all I want to do is space out. Do nothing but knit and read. But I realize that I can't live in a fog forever today was a day of getting things done. Sent off serveral Ravelry trades. Sent off my SP11 package to my pal. Did nagging things from my "to do" list. All not the most exciting way to spend a Wednesday but necessary all the same. Now if I can just bring myself to clean the catbox I will feel pretty good about things!




My parents and the boys and I returned about a week and a half ago from an amazing trip to Idaho to visit my Grandma and family (my dad grew up in Salmon, ID). It was a beautiful trip - lots of fall colors, frost, and deer. I love seeing them almost as much as my youngest likes seeing the cows in the pastures. We also got to be in the middle of a cattle drive down the highway. That was fun! And I managed to squeeze a trip in to the Mountain Colors studio in Corvallis, MT. The ladies there are the nicest and the yarn is amazing. I've already made two hats and can't wait to make some Sun River socks.



It is good to be home, no matter how much laundry there is to do! There are two boys in this pile - if you look carefully you may see a foot or elbow.



On Saturday our family went on a hike through Will Rogers State Historic Park. It is so beautiful there! Watched a riding lesson at the stable and ate lunch in the tall grass with two sweet deer in the distance. Then hikes up to the top of the loop trail and had an amazing view of the ocean and the latest Malibu fire. I can't wait to go back. On Tuesday my dad and the boys and I went to Sunland to look at a horse (my dad is looking into buying one). We drove up the mountain road a bit and saw four deer! I think is is amazing to see deer like that in SoCal. Very cool and reassuring that the wild four legged creatures are still around these parts.

OK, so now let me expalin the dumped pictures below. The STR chevron sock is knit using Grinchy and Thistle. I knit this while on our return trip home - which included a good hour and a half on the runway at LAX waiting for a gate to open up! The socks are knit using yarn I dyed at the LYS. And the hat is one of Jacey's amazing Monster Hats. I need to sew the patch on now that I have blocked and dryed it.

I have started other projects but will post photos later. I want to have a few FO's to put up first! I feel like I have a lot of holiday knitting yet to do and it is hard not to knit for myself.

Oh, and Sheri at the Loopy Ewe has started a Random Acts of Kindness campaign. I'm joining. She likes to randomly the coffee for the guy behind her in the Starbucks drive-thru. I got to find my way of giving back randomly. Any ideas?