I'm patting myself on the back today because I'm looking out of clean windows this morning.  Since it wasn't technically raining yesterday, I decided to just do it and get it over with.  It's funny because they never really look that dirty until you see them clean. 

As for the china closet, I'm listening to an interesting scifi book called Dies the Fire by M. Stirling about an unknown incident which has wiped out all the electric power (it has to be some kind of electro magnetic pulse because batteries don't work either and planes just fell out of the sky) and how people react to it.  It kind of reminds me of Threads which is about the aftermath of nuclear war and how people cope.  So, I may just listen to that as I wash and dry the china and polish the little bits of silver.  Or I may put that off till next week......

In between window washing and laundry yesterday, I managed to make one of these.  It's the Heart Sachet by Vikki Severs from Ik (summer 2005).  They posted it on Knitting Daily and I loved it.  I really didn't plan any holiday knitting this year except maybe for a pair of socks for my aunt who loves them but these spoke to me.  It's made of mitred squares all connected to one another.  After 4 squares I had this. 

 Look at all the blue and gold bits.  Those are the last two stitches of the squares that have to be put on stitch holders.  I used bits of contrasting yarn to make it easier to work with.  Doesn't look like much, does it?                                                      I ended up with this.  It's stuffed with cotton balls and some lavender flowers.  I thought it would make a nice gift for my aunts.  They're both in their late 70's and really don't need/want any more tchatchkes.  (sorry for the flash photo.  Yes, it's grey again, although the sun looks like it's struggling valiantly to burn off the clouds).  The yarn is from Roxanne at Zen Yarn Garden.  It's the Geogia O'Keefe colorway called Iris.  I tried to make socks with it but no matter what pattern I chose, it pooled in a way I didn't care for.  I hung onto it hoping something would come along and I'd find a purpose for it.  It worked pretty well for this.  I think the yarn I used is a little thicker than the yarn specified but I didn't think it would matter because size wasn't an issue (well, ok, who wants a sachet as big as their head?)  It's sitting on two hanks of handspun alpaca for Pk's sweater.

Pk and I went to see Men Who Stare at Goats on Friday night.  It was funny but very odd.  We had dinner and walked around the Farmer's Market.  It's open till 9 on Fridays and it was only 8 but so many stalls were already closed.  It was weird and we felt like intruders as we were almost the only shoppers there.  We bought some kielbasa from the polish meat place.  That'll be dinner tonight with some sauerkraut and pierogies. We also bought some movies.  Buy 3, get one free.  We bought Hancock, Independence Day, The Three Musketeers (old one with Michael York, Oliver Reed and Charleton Heston-lots of fun) and the new version of The Women.  I love the 1938 version of The Women.  It's so catty and the clothes/makeup/lighting are beautiful.  I like the new version almost as much although it's not nearly as back-biting.  Very different in feel and women's lives have changed so much in 70 years. 

Well, I'm off to make some puffy omelets for breakfast and then have some time with the spinning wheel.  I need to make another sachet sometime but now that I know how to do it and how long it takes, there's no rush. 

Enjoy your Sunday.