A bit late on the Twilight saga craze, and a sock yarn reality check.

I am enraptured. I haven't slept for more than 4 hours in the last week and a half. All over a series of books.

Yup, books. I was a bit late on the uptake of this series. Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

Well, I read the first one. Kinda moseyed along, reading a bit faster as I got closer to the end. The second one? I read it in 11 hours. I started this last Sunday and I finished at about 2:45 in the morning. Dragged my butt out of bed, went to work and then had to run to the store to get the 3rd book. And stuck my nose in and read book 3 over the next 3 nights. Wednesday? I was at B&N, and picked up the last book (since I knew that I would be finishing the 3rd book later that night).

OK, that was 2 days ago. I did finish book 3 Wed. night at around 3:30 a.m. I started the last book last night, and should have it finished up very shortly.

I am getting kind of giddy. (I think that is directly related to the complete lack of sleep over the last week+)

Now, I have to wait until the middle of next month for the movie to come out on DVD. I hate going to movies before I read the books, and I really didn't think that it would hold my attention the way that it did. I think that was why I put off reading them for so long.

OK, enough about books. I have spent most of the last couple of months working on finishing my UFOs. And I still have not resolved my card reader issues. So, still no pictures. Hmpf.

I finished the Mystic Light shawl I was working on during the last Stanley Cup finals. Knitting complex, 2-sided lace and watching hockey just don't work well for me. at all. I'd get about 2 or 3 rows done, then realize that they were not right. So I would have to tink back those rows and do them all over again. Hmpf. I finally gave up, carefully stashed it away, and forgot about it.

I pulled it out of it's hiding spot, and was able to finish it in about a week or 2. Don't know what my problem was (except trying to watch that little puck fly across the ice with those boys chasing it).

I also finished a few hats, and some other small projects that just never really went anywhere. I am ready to start working from my stash for the next year. No clubs, no buying yarn (even sale yarn and sock yarn).

I put all the sock yarn into a table the other day (only the one's I could remember mind you). I wanted to do this so I could start looking for appropriate patterns to go with them. You can't knit lacy socks out of a self-striping yarn and expect them to look very lacy.

Here's why I will only be working from my stash: I have enough sock yarn to make 40 pair of socks. And I am sure that there is more sock yarn stashed in other places. Remember I told you this was only what I could think of off the top of my head? Um, yeah. I think I have enough to hold me for a while.

My goal is to do each yarn out of a different pattern. I want to try some new things. Broaden my horizons a bit.

I am not even going to go to all the yarn I bought from Smiley's Yarns. Let's just put it this way. I have enough Bright & Lofty in a day-glo pink to last the world for a lifetime. hmm, maybe I could make K a skirt and matching bolero/shrug?

Well, off to search for something to do with all that Bright and Lofty yarn (besides squares).

Dish Rag Tag Update

This Dish Rag Tag is going VERY slowly for my team. Our box has been stalled out for 23 days at one spot. A new box has been sent out. Now we may have 2 boxes going. 7 more stops on it's way back to Emily (yarnmiracle.com).

I am getting excited all over again. I have a bunch of stuff ready to stuff in that little box. I'm not sure if I should get more to put in there. Once I have the box, I'll know.

School is going well for J. He hasn't had any behavioral problems at school so far. I am loving that! We've had a few minor things happen at home, but who doesn't. K. says she likes school, but I know she is not doing well (in spelling). She has already resigned herself to not being able to do the timed math tests, and won't study her spelling.

Tonight I have to come up with something fun to do. I think we will go to a pizza buffet, and then out to a movie. As soon as I can get my new contacts, that is.

I have been trying new contacts since August. Trying to fine-tune the fit and comfort. Right now my eyes are driving me crazy. But, I am very hopeful that this next (and final) pair will be the right combo. I love not wearing my glasses way too much to give up on finding the right ones.

Knitting is going on, just not really any specific projects. I am more or less just dinking around. I need to commit to a project and finish it. I have 2 pr. of socks that need the 2nd sock made. I have a shawl that needs the last 30 rows (or more) done. I have a scarf that needs to be finished. Can we say, "UFO's"? And that is just what I have easily within my grasp every evening.

On to more knitting!

Mummy and Dish Rag Tag Update

I have one 'Revenge of the Mummy' sock done! I am not casting on for the second one yet, though. The new pattern for the Super Sock Scarefest came out yesterday, and I have cast on that one instead. This one is toe-up, and I am knitting it in black Knit Picks Essential yarn.

This yarn is wonderfully soft, and easy on my pocketbook. (always a plus)

On the Dish Rag Tag front? well, that's not going so well for our team. We are DEAD LAST! Our group only has a couple people who frequent the forum, and then that seems pretty sporadic. I hope that the other teams will hit some snags along the way, so we don't have to trail the entire race. I am getting anxious for the box to arrive. I can't wait to see the pattern, and what goodies will be sent.

The person who has to send to me hasn't asked anything. I guess I will just post my answers to questions I would/have asked others.

So, here goes:

Favorite animal: Killer whale, dolphin
Favorite color: blues
Favorite yarn: sock yarn: Socks that Rock; everyday yarn: Brown Sheep's Lambs Pride
Favorite drink: sugar-free kool-aid, diet Squirt, coffee
Favorite needle: knit picks Options
Favorite knitting project: socks
Favorite car: anything newer than mine. (or in better condition) One of those little VW Bugs would be fun.
Favorite food: Pizza (so many different ways to make the same thing!)
Favorite treat/candy: milk chocolate, Ferrero Rocher (the gold ones), gummiworms
Favorite place to knit/crochet: Barnes & Noble with friends
Favorite mode of transportation: any I don't have to be actively doing
Do you knit, crochet, or both: Both
Do you have any dietary considerations (i.e. kosher, sugar/salt/fat limits, hate a flavor)? I can not eat fresh citrus fruit (no fresh oranges, grapefruits, etc. they trigger migraines. And of course I love these things). Other than that, no real limits.

Well, I hope everyone has a good weekend!

Mummies

I have knit the first mummy sock down past the gusset. I am now to the mind-numbing stockinette foot.

A new pattern comes out tomorrow (Super Sock Scarefest on Ravelry), and should use black yarn. Yeah! I can go stash diving for this one. (Actually I am stash diving for all of these, I hope)

I will be going to knitting tonight where hopefully I can blast through some of the foot.

I still have my Mystic Light shawl in progress. I need to work on getting chart 3 done (5 more rows), then chart 4 and the border. I could so have this done in about a month or so, IF I would just work on it.

I still need to gather up more stuff for my Road Trip Swap partner. I need to get this done by the end of the weekend. I hate knowing that she is waiting on me to get off my lazy butt and send it. I made some of the items that will be in there, but need to round out the package a bit more.

Well, off to make a list of everything I need to buy.

Socks, Pentapi and kids

I am knitting up some "Revenge of the Mummy" socks. I am using some Hannibal Lecter sock yarn. Great color, it reminds me of the old bandages with some grey-ish and lighter brown spots/streaks.

I put those aside this weekend (only did about 10 rows) and made a crocheted Octopus (with only 5 arms - hence Pentapi). My kids found it before school this morning and were swimming it all over the living room. I can see that I will have to make some more of these (and quick). I think that they will have to be birthday presents for them.

I got an e-mail from my son's teacher yesterday. Progress report. I could not be more happy!!!! He has all his homework turned in, all correct, and has done great on the spelling and other quiz he took. I can't wait to let his counselor know about this. I have been a bit worried about how he would handle moving to middle school and the bigger workload.

Today is his first clarinet class. I hope that goes well. He practiced over the summer, but quit playing about a month before school started back. He broke a piece on his clarinet, and didn't tell anyone. He also couldn't fit his reed in under the new ligature (more of an excuse than a real problem). But he has been playing the last few days, and still sounds pretty good. Just a few more strangled geese around the house than usual (if you've ever heard someone playing a clarinet for the first time, you will know what I mean -- LOL). We joke about this so we don't get too discouraged about not making all the notes perfect.

I am as happy as can be. Well, off to knit more mummies.

Washrags, Dishrags

I have made my Road Trip Swap her washrag. I need to get some goodies together and send this off this weekend.

I have no clue what is going on with DishRagTag and our group. I hope to see a box any day now when I get home. I need to get some goodies together for this one too.

I love making these every once in a while. They are quick, easy and can be very pretty. I made my daughter one that is shaped like a flower. Not the round-edged flowers, but it has pointy leaves/petals. She doesn't know that I have made this for her yet. I am waiting until her birthday to give it to her. It is Pink variegated, so she should like it.

I am making socks right now, and have a bag that is almost ready to be felted.

The kids are loving school. But already my dd comes home and says she hasn't learned anything new. They are in the newly moved portable classrooms and what don't they have? bathrooms. Of all the bloomin' things not to have. So if anyone is sick or has to go "NOW" they have to walk to the main school building and use the bathroom there.

I need to get a shirt for my son for gym (since it needs his name on it). Will have to do that tonight, maybe after my eye appt. New contacts, here I come.

Back to school

Well, the kids are now back in school (day 4). They like their teachers (so far) and that seems to be half the battle.

I love that they are excited to be back (even though they don't show it at 6:30 in the morning -- that's just moans and groans and covers being flung over their heads to represent amorphous amoebic blobs)

There are some growing pains associated with the return of school. No, you can't sit on the toilet for 20 minutes (basically sleeping) and still get ready on time. And dribbling your drink (twice) on your clean (just washed yesterday) clothes requires you to change clothes before leaving. (and no, you can not wear what you had on yesterday. and another no, you can not take 20 minutes to do this task).

Are you getting the feeling that one of my kids likes to take FOREVER to get things done????

Yeah, I have one of the biggest procrastinators in the world for a kid. And the other kid? well, let's just say he is very opinionated and stubborn as a mule once his mind is set.

I love them both bunches and bunches, but good golly ... I really hate some of their habits/behaviors. We are working on curbing some of them, and others I just try to ignore. (I can't ignore the 20 minutes on the toilet though, because we 3 share one bathroom)

Knitting is slowing down. I had a great surge of knitting with the start of the Olympics, but it has really trailed off. It seems I was able to knit fast and a lot while the swimming and gymnastics was going on, but once the swimming was over? well, my get-up-and-go got up and went.

I did get 2 pair of socks and a bunch of washcloths made, plus 1/2 of another pair of socks nearly done. I didn't get to the mini-hedgehog. I will, but not for a while.

I want to make for things to send off for charity. I also want to design a top for myself. I need to customize it so that I would actually wear it. Hmmm. Maybe those Barbara Walker books will come in handy.