Have I turned into a scarf knitter?

And if so, is that bad? Here is Hunter's scarf, or at least 1/3 of it. Right now I'm about 55% into it. If the chilly weather doesn't last here he'll have it when it gets cold again next winter.

The Wee One has a new interest---tennis! My brother Michael chuckled when I told him "there's got to be scholarship potential somehow, right?" He works in higher education (VP of Student Life at an East Coast university) & after a pause said "Stamford--isn't that where McEnroe went??" She is due to start later this week, pics to follow.


I got a little teary eyed this morning reading the obituaries from my home town paper. The widow of a WWII veteran died & this was in her obit:


Rose would often tell the story of how overjoyed she was when some of Gus's Army duffle bags arrived back to the house from Europe, meaning that Gus was coming home soon, and then again when her brother Jim's Marine Corp. duffle bags started arriving home from the Pacific, meaning that he too would arrive home safe.

It made me think of Hunter's deployments when we'd get the official word to stop sending mail. I also remember going to the PO to pick up a foot locker, covered in desert sand (trust me when I say that stuff NEVER comes out!) & feeling the excitement that he was finally coming home.

So this morning I "connected" with a 98 yr old woman that I never knew just for a moment. I knew exactly the joy she felt knowing he was coming home. I wonder if she was a knitter too.

Fiddle Dee Dee!

Gone With The Wind is on TCM (Turner Classic Movies) today. Starting in just a few minutes. I have to say, and those who know me best would admit, it is my all time, hands down favorite movie. Of all time.

I think I fell in love with it somewhere around the age of 8 when I saw it for the first time while spending the night with my Aunt Barbara (my Dad's only sister). She told me how she skipped school to see it in the theater! To my 8 year old mind, skipping school was probably one of the worst offenses you could commit. Skipping school? Insanity!

I was smitten the first time I saw Scarlett O'Hara in that white & green dress at the Wilkes' BBQ. How can you not be?

From that point, obsession took over. I looked forward to it showing on tv (once a year back then & before the age of the VCR/DVR). Immediately acquired a paperback copy of the book which I read. And read. And read some more. All 1034 pages. Or something like that. My father told me he had read it in school & proclaimed it the worst book he'd ever read. Sacrilege!!!! Clearly he just didn't get it!

But Aunt Barbara did. And somehow, my Mom too. The GWTW gifts started somewhere after that. Collector plates. Music boxes. My Mom (and other collectors) kept the Franklin Mint in business in the '80's buying everything & anything GWTW for me. (and the other collectors, for themselves). When I was in college & working at Waldenbooks I would snatch up every book about the movie.

While we're discussing books, let me just say that Scarlett, the sequel----bad. Bad, bad, bad. We won't discuss it further. And the tv movie made from it? Blech!

When I lived in Portland, ME, I made friends with another GWTW freak. Her collection was almost as extensive as mine. I had more music boxes, but she had the Vivien Leigh bio. We would have showings at her house. Bring our favorite memorabilia, have drinks and munches & watch the movie. A box of tissues always found its way to the couch as I pretty much cry for the last 30-45 min of the movie. Scarlett running thru the fog back to Rhett? Yeah, I'm a goner at that point.

The highlight of my time in Portland was the movie being shown at the State Theater. GWTW on the big screen???? We were there 2 nights in a row.

Before my ex & I got married he had to sit through the movie. I should have known it wasn't going to work when all he did was mock the movie.

So 30+ years into my love affair with the movie, I find myself comfy on the couch, knitting project nearby & the Wee One in her room for rest hour.

One of these days she & I will take a trip to ATL to the Margaret Mitchell house (I'm ashamed to admit, I haven't been in all the time I've lived here!) . And in a couple years she & I will have a Mommy & Wee One movie night where I'll introduce her to the movie that has been one of my joys since I was a wee one!

Dragon Scales Scarf

Miss Lisa's Dragon Scales scarf is finally finished!

Today I've been listing baby items on the Just4Kidz website for their March consignment sale. Hopefully it all sells!!

Hunter's scarf is now on the needles--only 3 months after I got the yarn!

Happy Birthday Libby Ibby Bibby!

Our sweet Schnauzer Libby turns 6 today! Her favorite hobby, as seen in the pic, is playing ball in the afternoons. Okay, any time of day really. She usually starts to bring me her ball around 3pm & it doesn't stop until we've gone out to play fetch.

She's a big snuggle bug & loves belly rubs, ear scratches & loves to be held. As I type, she's on the back of the couch (her perch so she can see outside) and is keeping my back warm.

Hunter's aunt (who is friends with the breeder & owned Libby's great grandmother (Snookie) & great uncle (Ditto) proclaimed Libby to be the "best schnauzer in the world" & agrees with me when I say we really got the pick of the litter!!

Happy Valentine's Day!

My sweet girl & wonderful husband yesterday at her Valentine's party at school. We weren't planning on him coming so it was a nice surprise!

We're enjoying the fact that Daddy is home with us this year & are taking it easy today as the weather is a little "blech".


Take advantage of today to let those around you know how you feel. Be nice, of course!! Consider yourselves hugged & know how much I appreciate each & every one of you!!!

xox

The pictures don't lie

I was looking at the hot pink cloth I made for the Wee One's teacher last night & realized there is an error in the top heart. I know errors happen & we excuse them as "design features" but when it's part of a small heart pattern it's pretty obvious & not even claiming a "design feature" can help.

So this morning I CO the Quilted Hearts Dishcloth. Fun little pattern, a quick knit & the best part---no "design features"!!

A very yarn filled day!

Not one, but two, count 'em TWO FO's! I was trying to come up with a good teacher gift for Valentine's Day & then it hit me----washcloth, shower gel & lotion.

Off to my stash to find pink or red cotton yarn. Obviously it wasn't hard. Next stop, Ravelry to find the patterns. Then I started knitting. When I finished the first cloth (the 5 heart pale pink) I went into what Hunter calls "The Closet of Doom" into my stash of toiletries & found some yummy smelling Bath & Body Works shower gels & lotions for the Wee One's teacher & the aide.


Then I CO for cloth #2 (2 heart hot pink) after dinner. Knitted thru LOST at 8pm & by the time this week's new episode started, I was onto the plain stockinette & garter stitch rows.

Blocking to follow & then to be wrapped up w/ the companion goodies for Friday!

And finally, I purchased one more skein of yarn. This time from Amanda at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5184795

Amanda dyes the most beautiful yarns & is a fellow New Englander as well as Red Sox fan. In short---she's perfect *wink*

It pays to know people

Especially people who spin & dye yarn! If you read my previous post you'll remember me lamenting over the fact that I had $$ to spend but couldn't find the "right" purchase.

Well, last night I went to Knit Group (because I refuse to use that S & B phrase) & who should show up but Lacey! She sits down next to me & starts pulling out hank after hank after skein after skein of the most gorgeous handspun. We pass around several of the skeins which are petted, stroked, Ooohed & aahed over. Two have my attention. I made a wise choice & bought one. It's called Frog Stomp & is 156 yards. If you enlarge the pic you possibly can see the sparkles in it. They're called "angelina"!!

Thanks Lacey for enabling me & quenching my need to buy SOMETHING!! I'm loving my yarn & keep taking it out to look at it!

For those of you looking for pretty yarns, check out Lacy's Etsy site http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5145853

I swear something is wrong with me

Each pay period Hunter's salary is divided up ---the bulk goes to our bill/household account & then he & I have what I jokingly refer to as our "allowances". Fun money, if you prefer.

So many things have been tempting me lately---more Harmony wood needles (I "need" some larger DPN's. Right, NEED!), the 100 Designer One Skein Wonders book, some Noro Silk Garden bulky from the Little Knits sale. A bag would be nice & not terribly pricey right now.

As I go to order these things I realize that while I want more Harmonys, I really don't need them just yet. The 100 Desiginer OSW book--I think I might make something for someone out of there but after looking at it at Barnes & Noble last night I decided that I don't need it. The Silk Garden bulky? It's gorgeous & after using the reg. SG for BIL's mitts & FIL's scarf I realized I do like it but the bulky? Hmmmmm, I dont know that I want that much bulky. I want to make another scarf & mittens for myself & perhaps a headband for cold days but not with bulky yarn.

What is happening here? I'm talking myself out of these purchases. Who am I & what have the aliens done with my body???

On the knitting front, the dragon scales scarf is coming along nicely. The colors are pretty & I'm really liking this pattern. I need to make a baby gift of some sort for my friend Josie who is now living in Germany (it's okay for you to say you're jealous & possibly disliking her right now. I was there too---Germany would be so fun now that the Wee One is a little older!) courtesy of the US Army. When she had her little boy a couple yrs ago I made a baby sweater (heartbreakingly cute baby kimono), a bib & a washcloth. She's not finding out the sex (way to go Josie!! There are too few surprises in this life!) so whatever I make will have to be neutral. I have a month to do whatever it is that I am going to do so I need to get moving on it. Perhaps a blanket. I have to admit, I do like the 4 skein baby blanket as it's quick, is pretty & a little different. Hmmmmm, must think on this.

Back to the fluff you've come to expect.

My Odessa II hat for the Wee One's teacher from last year. It matches her Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool scarf from last year.


And the Wee One & Daddy today leaving for Donuts With Daddy Day at school.
The look on her face says it all! Hunter said she introduced him to all her friends "Chloe, this is my father!!!" He admitted to getting a little choked up at the breakfast b/c it "was so sweet" He's a closeted softy!

Truly strange times in which we live

I normally don't blog about politics because, really, my opinion is just that--MY opinion. It's not right, it's not wrong, it might not make sense to you & you're not here to read about it. But it's times like this that really make me mad.

I try to be a good person. I try to be a good mother & role model to my daughter. I try to be a good wife, daughter, sister, daughter in law, friend, blah blah blah. But I'm not perfect. I make mistakes sometimes. Please, take a moment to pick your jaw up off the floor. You're shocked I know. But when I do make a mistake I own up to it & try to make things right.

Hunter & I try to be good citizens. He serves his country & I think it's fair to say, we've sacrificed a good bit for the country we believe in & love. Our family life takes a hit every other year, our marriage is put to the test & our daughter suffers because she is too young to comprehend why Daddy is gone for so long.

We live within our means & don't look for handouts from the government. We try to give to charity when we can & I volunteer when I can at the Wee One's school & w/ our FRG.

And we pay our taxes.

So, how is it that people like Tom Daschle, Charlie Rangel, Tim Geithner, & Nancy Killefer, who I'm sure have "people" to do things like that for them, can't get them done? Believe me, I've been really busy before & forgotten to do something, but paying taxes? Yeah, not one of them.

Shame, shame, shame.