Z?...

"Have you been playing with Mama's camera?"






"No, Papa did."

Recent stash enhancement - all for Holiday presents. Two new skeins of Lorna's Laces, one DK and one fingering, and two skeins of Rowan Soft for the Lucinda Guy Mousies. I've already tried the intarsia version and hated it.

Today I hope to hit a new LYS for some bobbins that will make it easier. Any hints on how to manage the prone-to-tangling mess will be greatly appreciated.

So the real problem is that with the Holidays approaching, most of the items currently under construction require special security clearance for viewing. Sorry folks, no sneak previews here. Do not open until Christmas. That kind of thing.

That being said, there are a couple of friends who don't know about the blog so...


One pair of little socks for Baby Setsuko when she gets here in January. Made with Lorna's Laces Shepherds Socks, a delectable superwash wool. Improvments in this model include a cable cast-on. Not too hard too master and a great way to start a sock. Much more elastic than the traditional italian cast-on. And pretty.

Donna emailed that she got her Japanese Lunch bags. And speaking of swaps...


From the dishcloth swap. How stinking cute is this!!! Completely in love with it. It's destined for the sink today. My dishes will be so pleased.

And to close things out and begin to compensate for my recent absence, a meme (my first) pirated from the blog of my brother, the illustrious 10%. He's a total dream.

1] What is your middle name?
Lynne

2] What color is your mailbox?
Black

3] Are you available?
For what? I won't help you move, and I am happily married, so no. (answer stolen from 10%)

4] Have you ever hit a deer?
Grazed her

5] Do you have to drive over a bridge to get home?
Depends on from where I'm driving

6] Do you get the paper delivered to your house in the morning?
Only on Sunday - NYT and St. Paul Pioneer Press (really only good for the Target circular)

7] Who checks the mail in your house?
We all do

8] Do you have a small driveway?
Not by the standards out here in the country

9] Do you know anyone with the same ringtone as you?
Someone must. It would be too wierd if I were the only one in the world to choose that particular jingle from the limited range of options.

10] What do you do first in the morning?
Wake up

11] What brand is your printer?
Samsung for laser and Epson for photo

11] Have you ever shot at your neighbor or your neighbor's pet for any reason?
No - now ask my neighbor the same question. OK - he was really aiming for the chipmunk but our barn and tree-line were rained with buckshot. Call me picky, but I'm counting it.

12] Do you enjoy fighting with people?
No

13] Is your hair naturally straight or curly?
Straight

14] Who was your kindergarten teacher?
No idea

15] Are you taller than your mother?
Yep - but she's shrinking

16] Do you have a favorite word?
Really fond of munificent

17] Are you God?
Aren't we all? Namaste, baby.

18] What do you do to get over a broken heart?
Roll on the floor and listen to Hank Williams.

19] Do you have a deep dark secret?
Nope

20] Do you enjoy writing in colored pens?
Yes - really like green

21] Does anything hurt on your body right now?
No

22] Do you often cry during a movie?
No

23] Do you hate your life?
I love our life. I can't believe how fortunate I am.

24] Do you get mad easily?
No, but when I do I burn hot and fast

25] What is your biggest pet peeve?
I'm intolerant of intolerance. Haven't really figured out how to reconcile that one, either.

26] What is your away message?
Our 2-yr old and I left it. He's really cute.

27] Do any of your friends have kids?
A few

28] Who should pay on the first date?
It all evens out in the end

29] How many years older than you are you willing to date?
I don't think my hubby would appreciate me dating anyone

30] Do you have any friends?
Yes

31] Do you have any mean friends?
No, but sometimes my nice friends accidently do mean things

32] What is the ugliest color in your opinion?
It's all contextual

33] Have you ever liked someone who all your friends couldn't stand?
No

34] Have you ever felt like driving off a cliff?
No

35] Do you itch your ears?
No but I've scratched them (thanks 10%).

36] What brand are the pant/jeans you are wearing right now?
Katayone Adeli - they're my favorites and I fear they're wearing out.

46] Do you like your dad?
Yes, sometimes, however, I don't like his behavior.

47] Do you have any TV shows on DVD?
Nope

48] Are you wearing makeup?
No

49]Do you have a tattoo?
No, on a technicality. However, if the word were plural... :-)

50] Do you know how to draw?
Yes

51] Who is your hero?
My husband

52] Who did you last IM?
My husband

53] Do you work a lot of hours?
Yes

54] What do you do when you are stressed out?
Knit or drink. The two together can be disastrous

55] Who was the last person to call you?
My sister

56] Is there anything you regret?
Yes, but in the wise words of Poi Dog Pondering, "Thanksgiving for every wrong move that made it right."

57] Do you know where your family name originated from?
Yes

58] Is there an animal that creeps you out?
Can't think of one

59] What was the last thing you did for fun?
Building Lego towers with the little guy this morning

60] Last time you cried?
Listening to a Judd and Maggie song, but I wasn't sad

PxTx - the post-event-preview

A Halloween pumpkin for the road. Pay no attention to the unfinished deck project in the background . I'm sure completion is imminent.

Someone might mention to my husband that most people build decks out of wood and don't have 5000 lb granite picnic tables.

I'm bragging not complaining. :-)

Now that Halloween is over it really feels like we're launching into the Holidays.

Last night was "Practice Thanksgiving" (aka PxTx) - the annual event Julie and I host. This is an international blog (international blog of mystery) and I know that not everyone celebrates the Thanksgiving holiday. I offer, to you all, PxTx - a holiday where one practices preparing and consuming a Thanksgiving meal. You can also practice being thankful :-)



More later on PxTx debrief - menu and related items. Today, however, 2 year olds don't care if their Mama's go to bed too late or have a glass (or 3) too many of the bubbly. Thus I only have the energy for Nigella Lawson's "Cheesecakelets" for breakfast.


And a quick peek at a dishcloth for my dishcloth swap. Lots to pop in the mail tomorrow. Will report soon.