Working my way to completing sock 2 of 2 for the tribal elders. I was interested in the colors of the skein, hopeful that it might emerge into a fun space-dyed pattern (sorta like the Regia yarns I'm used to and enamored of). However, it isn't quite what I had expected. I sure hope there's a grandma type out there who has a sense of humor and adventure when it comes to wearing psychedelic socks.
Yarn Dogs
Everyone has at least one, those well intentioned projects that get side-lined for whatever reason. Scrounging about for yarn dogs was not on my list of goals for this new year. However, I found the double hat trick cap I started knitting before I went back to grad school (now, THERE's a good reason to stop knitting), and since it's turning out way too small for my head (or any other adults)....and since I don't have any small people in my life at present, I've decided to rename it the "Anyway you want it tea cosy". Yup, this inside outside number will service my teapot nicely. It's thick, double-knit; the colors will brighten the winter day.
I started knitting the striped side with a provisional caston, knit for about 10 inches, then started the polka dot pattern for the same length. It was at this point when I was accepted into Stanford and the knitting stalled while the work piled up. I'm now at the point where I can shape the top of both ends.
The long tube will eventually get inverted as desired - dot side out or striped side out, with a rolled cuff.
Santa Cruz Stitch & Bitch Saturday 01.06.07
Friend Margaret, the acupuncturist extraordinaire and all time knitting whizkid, and I decided to check out the local knitting caffe-klatch. What a lovely group of people, all ages, and flavors. I look forward to going next week.
Demure Amy rips out a super soft throw she was working on for her sister. Apparently they weren't talking (or talking well of one another) while she was working on it, and she felt the vibes weren't right. Now thay they're back on speaking terms, she wants to create another one that reflects reconciliation. Which brings up the whole notion of what we knit into our projects. I've been praying (or at least thinking well of whomever wears them) over the socks meant for the tribal elders. I can't begin to imagine who will get the article, but I can only hope that they will feel loved and valued by it.
Postal Aran
John agreed to paste down the cockatiel hair spike ( the bed head do he usually sports on Sunday mornings) to allow me to photograph the postal blue aran sweater I knit late last year.
I started the 2006 fair isle sampler ski hat last winter, noodling around with it during our trips to the mountains. It was a welcome relief to focus on such a meditative pursuit....a needed break from teaching. I just kept trying new peeries, different color combos taken from my humungous yarn stash. I had so much fun playin around that I didn't really check the length. If I roll the brim under (but then a few pattern areas are lost) I can get it to fit fairly well. Otherwise, it'll fit a conehead. Thought I'd show it to advantage, better than on my pointy pate from previous post.
2007 Long-tailed Ski Hat: So, since there's no new job on the horizon and I've got a goodly supply of classic movies to watch (ala Netflix), it's time to start the new version. This one will be a long fair isle hat, complete with goofy tassle or fuzz-ball. I invision a tail soooo long, it can wrap around my neck as a scarf, too. Again, no pattern to follow, just whimsy as my stash allows. I can't really care too much about color combos, since I'm the one wearing it; I don't really worry about having to please a client's personal palette. Here's the work-in-progress.
Close up of the pattern/colors. Not sure I really groove on the orange/purple zigzag bit. Will I rip it out? Not bloody likely.
Cats a'plenty Dinah "the best cat" demands cuddles when John comes home. 
Nelson - who should really be renamed "Lenny", since he loves the bunny and doesnt' have the sense to come down out of trees on his own (we had a tree service get him down once at $50.00 a pop). Most times he's touchy and temperamental, being cuddly in the early morning interrupting my REM time.
Squidgey, the cat I can't get rid of. What a lovely boy he is, full persian, given to me by a neighbor who was moving to an apartment that didn't allow pets. He's sweet and very cuddly.....but he likes to chase Dinah. I'd like to find a home for him, preferably one to whom he'd be an only cat. In the meantime, he's ours.
New Year's morning, I wait for John to press his coffee and then I'll make bacon/eggs/popovers....add a little orange juice and champagne.....all under 30 minutes. Rachel Ray has nothin' on me! Not a bad start to the year.
2007 Goals:
Professional: Find another job. Teaching an hour from my home just takes up way too much time.....time spent doing much better things; running, reading, knitting, praying.
Personal: Run a 10K every couple of months (each month would be ideal). Run 5 days/week....build up to the long runs by degrees.
Develop new investing strategies: research those DRIPS, to option or not?
Spiritual:
Knit 20 pairs of socks to donate....this year to the tribal elders on Pine Ridge Res.
Read my bible every day.....find more ways to be of service.
Be mindful of showing love to everyone.
Finished Work:
Finished last year's knitting goals just under the wire.......my Mostly Merino fair isle ski sweater (in raspberry, natural, pine, and perrywinkle blue ). Picked up the kit at Stitches West last February, but teaching slowed down the knitting. Shown here modeled by Audrey. 
Also, completed the classic aran pullover from "Two Sticks and a String". Splurged on Debbie Bliss Cashmerino (in seafoam), a luxury, to be sure, but what a joy to knit! It took me a month, and every minute was pure delight. The complexity of pattern required attention, which was a blessing in many ways. As this project was done during the time I visited with family (in Arizona), the dynamics of which has often been strained at best, I found myself shutting up, rather than speaking up. (Sage advice from Dad....there are times to speak up and times to shut up. Getting along with people is knowing when to do which. How true!) What a superior way of dealing with things!
Our plans for skiing in the Sierras fell through.....no real snow to speak of. We will try again in a few weeks, when there's more of everything: time, money, snow! To keep myself occupied during the downtime, I tidied up the loose ends (and boy, were there a lot of them!) on the 2006 ski hat (shown here). A fair isle extravaganza/sampler number.
Rounding the bend on the new year, reflection offers me a new way of dealing with those sticky bits that seemed to be so tiresome. Realizing that we have choice....in how we think, act, react. Don't know why it took me so long to really 'get' this. Suffice it to say, I got it....and got it good.
Sailing Shoes
Robert Palmer: The Very Best of the Island Years
