"Health is the greatest gift,
contentment the greatest wealth,
 faithfulness the best relationship."
~Buddha
 
I've been thinking about my health a lot lately.  Not that I have any specific health problems that are particularly troubling right at the moment.  I have high blood pressure, I am hypothyroid, I have arthritis and I'm overweight.  I am treating the blood pressure and the thyroid with medication and will be dealing with the arthritis as it becomes more of a problem.  That leaves the weight. 
 
I'm not hung up on the numbers.  I know that how much I weigh is not an indication of my overall health.  I don't think I look grossly obese but according to the BMI charts, I am.  I am concerned with the state of my heart and my body's ability to function.  Thus, the health club. 
 
I am now a member of LA Fitness.  I think I would have shied away from a large place if it weren't for its location.  I don't like crowds of people and would prefer a smaller evironment.  But, that wasn't happening and so on Monday, I will meet with a trainer who will assess my fitness (I have a vision of him saying something like "Good God woman!  How did you make it up that curb outside?"  I know my fitness levels leave A LOT to be desired) and help me set some fitness goals. 
 
This has brought up thoughts of my own mortality.  It's a peculiar thought that I've probably already lived over half of my life.  I don't often think that way but as I have watched relatives die, that reality has grown on me.  I am determined to have a healthier life and I'm glad Pk is coming along too.  We stopped at Target to get some new sweat clothes last night and laughed to discover we both chose grey pants and white shirts.  Soon,  we'll be dressed like stereotypical old people in Miami in our matching pastel warm up suits.
 
 
In the spirit of Gaak (thanks Rosered, that is such a perfect phrase), I ordered the beads for my shawl.  I just tried to find the photo on the website but I bought the last bit of them and there's no photo!  They're pearlized antique ivory colored and I think will add just a bit of shimmer to the shawl.  I'm really looking forward to this.  I also bought the impossibly tiny crochet hook for adding the beads to the knitting. 
 
I'm working away on the alpaca sweater.  I'm going to take it bowling tomorrow since it's an easy pattern, I figure I can work on it and not mess it up while still being social.  I was feeling sore and tired last night after the Handle with Care class but today I feel fine.  I still won't bowl tomorrow, though.  I've pulled something in my right arm and the thought of hefting a bowling ball just hurts.
 
Bells said something in a comment on my last post about how it seemed like a "letter to friends" and I realized that very often this feels that way.  I used to write letters frequently.  When I was in college, way before the advent of email, letters were lifeblood.  When Pk was in the Navy, we lived for those pieces of paper that carried our love and longing (we were sooo young) across the miles.  Now, everyone has a phone and with email, communication is often instantaneous.  But the blog often feels like I'm sitting down and writing a letter telling you what's going on in my life.  I can picture you sitting there with a cup of coffee/tea and thinking, "I'll have to write back and tell her...".   It fills a need that I didn't realize I had.  So, thank you all.
 
And now it's almost 9 o'clock already.  I'm off to shower and start the laundry and have some breakfast and then read some online letters from friends...... 

I have about a half an hour before I begin my annual Handle With Care trainer training.  This is the training I take every year so that I can teach the rest of the people in my building Aggressive Patient Managment.  It's an all day thing where we talk a little about verbal de-escalation and then spend a lot of time working out what to do if the verbal thing does not work out.  It's a hard day physically, partly because my body is getting older and I'm not in the best shape I've ever been in.  Today, however, I have an edge.  I am wearing my Warrior Socks from Sock Wars.  I dare any of these men (they're all security guards from the hospital and 99 % of them are men) to take me on! 

As for being in sad physical shape. Pk and I are fulfilling a promise we made to ourselves a long time ago.  We are joining a gym.  A new health club just opened that is literally in our path as we wend our way home from work.  We usually cut through the parking lot that it is now situated in.  As soon as the Walmart finishes construction, we will be doing it again (Yes we are getting a super Walmart not 2 miles from our house.  I shudder to think of what the already overburdened local roads will be like after it opens).  But, the club is an LA Fitness.  It's a brand new facility and looks nice.  It's certainly filled with very enthusiastic young salespeople.  I had to remind our young man to talk slower because I have 52 year old ears and they can't listen that fast.  The price is reasonable and they have nice facilities.  Pk is especially impressed with the sauna and whirlpool.  I'm happy that they have t'ai chi and yoga classes.  Mostly, we want to get into shape so we can ride our bicycles without passing out.......

We are going today to sign up.  We had a tour on Tuesday and talked about it and today we will put our money where our mouths are.  I feel positive about this but am a little apprehensive.  I belonged to a gym about 15 yrs ago and while I didn't like exercise (still don't) I felt better.  But my body is older and it's going to take some time and some patience this time around. 

Pk is home sick today.  It's my fault.  I was brought up to share and share I did.  He got the cold germs from me.  He tends to bounce back quicker than I do so he'll probably be fine tomorrow.  He's waiting at home for the Verizon tech to show up (AGAIN).  He is having a battle of tech-wills with the company.  They say we are getting download speeds that our machines are definitely not showing.  Since we're paying for this speed (and have been for some time now), Pk is incensed that they cannot fix the problem.  This is the last straw. If there is no satisfaction today, we will be switching to a local cable company.  I really don't want to do this but I'm staying out of it.  I have a basic understanding of the tech issues but not much and I let Pk handle this as it's his area of expertise.

I am up to 8 inches on Pk's sweater.  I can see subtle shifts in the material as I switch from ball to ball of the handspun alpaca but I think I may be the only one who will notice so I'll keep quiet about it.  I am having some trouble with the swatch for the Evenstar shawl and keep coming up with the wrong number of stitches.  I've tried three times.  I may have to check and make sure I have the correct version of the pattern.  I think I am going to go for the beads.  If I don't like them, I can always not use them but since I am using a plain ivory yarn, the little bit of shimmer they'll add will be magical.  If I don' find some I like at the craft store this weekend, I'll order some.

Well, my half hour is up and it's time to go roll on the floor.  Have a good weekend.  We're planning a Sunday morning brunch/bowling outing.  My family and my brother's family.  I won't bowl (hurts too  much) but I can knit and cheer (and eat!) 

Oh, and the snowflakes?  It's 15 degrees  (-9 C) here this morning and I'm still thawing out......

While at work today, I happened to glance at ravelry and lo and behold, my death socks had met their target.  She posted the photos and let me know she was well and truly dead.  But she liked the socks so all is well.

Then I came home and discovered that I had a small package waiting for me.  And it's not the 3 mm Options tips I ordered from p2tog.(knitpicks doesn't sell the 3mm tips but knitpro does and I need them)  Sigh.  Alas, it was my very own death socks.  They arrived and smote me in the heart for they are lovely.  Here they are posing upon  my spinning wheel.  They are a light green color and the yarn is a bamboo/acrylic blend so into the washer they can go.  The yarn is a little thicker than I would usually use for socks but they fit nicely and are a nice springy color. And this is the first pair of handknit socks that I own that I did not make for myself!  And also a good thing that I am well and truly dead because my family would not allow any zombies around here!  Not even half dead sock zombies.  Two shots in the head and it'd all be over.  They are merciless when it comes to the undead.

I think I have passed my head cold onto Pk.  He has a runny nose and is falling asleep already and it's not even 8 pm.  I warned him to stay away.....

I tried to swatch for the Evenstar kal (which Susan says is the most downloaded pattern on ravelry right now with over 500 participants all knitting the same thing).  I lost a stitch somewhere between the k4tog and the strange increase4decrease2 stitch.  No worries.  I'll just try again tonight.  I'm still contemplating putting the beads on the edges.  Pk says I should go for it because "it'll be different" but I'm not sure how I feel about beaded shawls.  I have never done any beaded knitting.  I understand the concept but haven't put it into practice.  I have some time to think it over.  I'd need about 3000 size 8 seed beads which sounds like an awful lot of little beads.(teenytiny little beads which can be dropped all over the house and no one will see them)  I did see some pretty pearlized beads that would look really nice with my ivory yarn........I think I might be talking myself into them.

Well, Pk is sleeping here beside me so I want to turn off the machine so that I don't wake him up.  Hopefully, a good night's sleep will help him feel well enough to go to work in the morning.

'night all.

Sock Wars update.  My weapons are in the hands of the USPS as of today.  I really liked them but was glad to see that little brown package go out in the mail.  My target will be dead by this Thursday.  At least that's what the postal worker told me and I don't know why she'd lie......

So, I was thinking I was done and could just watch the rest of the carnage when I got a message from my Target.  She let me know a pair of socks in progress would be heading my way!  Since she is dead (or will be soon) and her target (who is also now dead) is mailing her sips, it would be easier for her target to mail them directly to me!  I could get another kill!  This is sounding so violent (and strangely appealing).  I am still alive until I get my death socks in the mail.  And I haven't heard from my assassin (and have no clue where/who she/he is) so I could get more than one more kill.  And since I finished my first weapon, it feels like the pressure is lessened.  I achieved my goal of finishing one pair.  Anything else is gravy.

World domination, here I come!

ETA:  I just received word from my assassin and my death socks are in the mail.  Oh well, I don't think I am cut out to be a world dominatrix anyway.......

At least I get to die with warm toes.

Sometimes things happen and you get upset but you get over it.  (ok, sometimes not).  Last year, my old laptop got a virus.  Pk offered to wipe it clean and replace the operating system.  I agreed to let him play with it with one caveat.  I wanted him to save my photos and my favorites.  He agreed.

It didn't work out quite that way.  He saved the email, he saved the favorites and lost the photos.  I was heartbroken.  There were photos of the day he flew the WWII plane and photos of my surprise 50th birthday party and others that I couldn't replace. 

It taught me a valuable lesson.  BACK UP THE PHOTOS!  Which I now do.  Sometimes.  Last night, as I was laying in bed waiting for the cold medicine to knock me out, I was playing around with my mp3 player.  I'm one of those people who does not explore all the capabilites of their electronic devices.  Does it play music/books?  Then fine.  I don't have to know that it also cleans toilets and cooks dinner.  As long as it does what I bought it to do, I'm good. 

Well, I was listening to a book and waiting to be able to breathe well enough to get some sleep and started pushing buttons on the mp3 player.  I found PICTURES.  I didn't know what that was so I checked it out and lo and behold there were pictures!  Not just any pictures!  These pictures!  Pictures from the day Pk flew in the plane.  Our day at Cape May!   I was ecstatic. 

And perplexed.  I have no idea how the pictures got onto my mp3 player.  I didn't put them there.  I don't use it for photo storage.  It must have been a random event.  But there they were.  About 100 pictures that I thought were lost.  I was so happy (it really doesn't take much to make me happy).  It isn't all the photos that I lost but a good deal of them.  I backed them up onto my flash drive and now they're safe. 

How weird is that? And I have no idea how they got there but I'm thankful.  Today will be a rest/sleep day.  My head feels like it's stuffed full of cotton and no amount of blowing my nose seems to clear it.  Yuck.  I am using tissues at an alarming rate.  My advice is to buy stock in Puffs.

I went back and did some knitting on Pk's sweater.  The alpaca feels so nice and soft and it's such an easy pattern that even with a head full of cotton, I can pay attention.  I'd like to do the swatch for the shawl kal but I don't think I have the brain power for it today.  I have some lovely roving to spin.  Em and Jim gave me a few different types and one of them is oranges and pinks and yellows.  It looks like sunsets and sunrises.  Really beautiful.  I'm spinning it thin and I'll leave it a single and make something lacey with it.  But that is getting ahead of myself. 

For today, it will  be enough to just breathe.  Breathing is really underrated.

Et voila!  Here are my socks of death.  This color is dead on (pun intended).It's the January art walk sock club selection.   The pattern is an easy one and I really like it.  I'll probably make a pair for me at some point.  This is the fastest I have ever knit a pair of socks.  One week.  Being home sick helped some but not a lot.  I was living on cold medicine and spent a lot of time sleeping.  I am just glad they're done.  I didn't really expect to finish and I'm surprised that I'm not dead yet.  I know my target has mailed off her weapon already so I won't have to knit another pair.  Now, I just have to wait for my assassin to kill me.  I put some herbal tea, some cadbury eggs and some stitch markers in the envelope as well.  I wanted to cushion the blow, although how tough is it to get handknit socks in the mail?

I am resting today and tomorrow and plan to go back to work on Monday.  My head is still congested but my nose isn't running quite as much.  I actually resorted to taking Benadryl yesterday.  I only use that when I'm in dire straits.  It really knocks me out.  I don't remember much about yesterday......and today is slightly fuzzy, too.

Not much else is happening around here.  For me, the big news is finishing the socks of death.  Now that they're out of the way, I can swatch for the Evenstar shawl kal and work on Pk's sweater.  And go back to knitting slowly.  I'm looking forward to the kal.  My yarn came and it's sooo thin.  I haven't done anything with laceweight for a while and forgot how it looks like dental floss.  I just have to wait for my 3mm tips for my options to come from knitpro (knitpicks doesn't sell that size).  And I have to learn a circular cast on.  GaaK will be happening here! 

Hope your weekend is filled with peace. 

It's that time of year again.  Time to think about Earth Hour.  If you don't remember, this is the one hour out of your year where you turn off all your lights and as many electrical appliances as you can.  This year it is scheduled for March 27 at 8:30 pm local time. The earth from space at night is a beautiful place but all that energy!  It boggles the mind.  Earth Hour saved a lot of energy last year but that's not the point.  While saving energy is a desirable thing, education about the amount of energy we're using is priceless.  Check it out and pass it on.  We'll be observing the Earth Hour for the third year here at our house.  And we're going to renew our commitment to using less energy.  Pk and I are carpooling back and forth to the train station.  Not only does it save some energy but we get to spend some time together in the morning and afternoon.  Who says being green has to be dull?

Yesterday I went back to the doctor's for another round of antibiotics. I was feeling icky. Not really sick but not well. My head hurt and my glands are swollen and I thought my infection was coming back. He was surprised that I'm still having sinus infection/sore throat/ear infection symptoms. The other antibiotic I took is a "big gun". The new one is one that brings the nasty side effects (nausea, diaharrea, vomiting - got to love it). It doesn't matter. I have to get rid of the infection. I spent today sitting in the chair, falling asleep and trying to finish my sock.

As of this writing, I'm still alive.  No killer socks arrived in my mailbox yesterday.  It makes going home an interesting proposition!  I had a scare today when the postman brought me some yarn I ordered for the Evenstar Kal (a lovely ivory cashmere/silk/merino blend).  I thought the package might be my death socks but not yet.  I live to keep knitting.  I should cast off sock #1 and start #2 tonight-unless I fall asleep again.  Cold medicine will do that.

This Sunday, the Hunterdon County Museum is inviting knitters and spinners to practice their hobbies in celebration of the end of their Knitted, Knotted and Netted exhibit.  Kate and I are thinking of taking our wheels and going.  It depends on the weather.  We're in for a nasty storm (wintry mix-snow, sleet, freezing rain) for the weekend.  If the roads aren't too icy, it might be fun. 

I didn't go to the knit night Monday night.  I was feeling depressed about having to rip out so much of my sock.  But, I'll be done or out of competition by the time the next one comes up in two weeks.......

Well, I'm off to fix some dinner for Pk.  He's out in the garage sawing some wood.  I can hear the table saw and smell the wood.  At least, there are no shouts of  "oh shit, ".  That's always a good thing.

I think I am not Sock Wars material. 

I am not a sock knitting newbie.  I have made many pairs of well loved socks.  I went into this knowing full well I would not be the last knitter standing but hoped I'd finish at least one sock.  I'm still plugging away but am not sure how this is going to go.

I am working on a pattern called Don't Box Me In, an eyelet pattern that I rather like.  Because of the way the stitches fall, there is a thin stripe of stockinette that is supposed to fall down the middle of the back of the leg.  When I was barreling through the foot (and feeling optimistic that I'd finish a sock), I happened to read the Sock Wars ravelry thread and stopped dead in my tracks. 

First, a little digression.  In Sock Wars, a "misfire" is considered a sock that for whatever reason is unwearable (size, knitting, whatever).  Misfires cannot kill their target and disqualify the sender.

Ok. So I learned that because my stockinette stripe fell on the inside of the leg, the socks would be considered a misfire.  Many many bad words were uttered (in private).  I waited for the decision of the Supreme Commander (whose word is law).  She said "misfire".  So, I had to rip out the almost completed foot all the way to the beginning of the heel and recount the stitches to make the stripe fall in the back of the foot.  (I ended up ripping back the heel a 2nd time due to the way the stitches fell for the instep but that was my choice).

So, now I have completed the heel and picked up the gusset stitches and am once again working my way back down the foot.  I have learned (or should I say 're-learned') that I do not like being rushed.  I don't like deadlines and having to feel that I MUST knit in order to fulfill some requirement, self imposed or otherwise.  I really wanted to spin but I would feel GUILTY, like I wasn't giving Sock Wars my best effort.  (I am heavily laden with an abundance of guilt genes).  I can't find my name on the master list of assassins/targets so maybe no one is trying to kill me?  That would be too much to hope for and I'm sure it's just a typo.

Oh, well.  Time to go to work and deal with people with real, actual problems. 

Good Sunday morning.

I thought I'd show you a photo of my weapon.(with cat hair!)  This pattern was made for Sock Wars by the Supreme Commander, Helen Waittes. it's called Don't Box Me In.   It's a fairly simple pattern, if you're paying attention.  There are three patterns to choose from and I thought they all used the same sized needles.  I had a few inches of this done on Friday night on 2.25 needles only to discover it was written for 2.75.  I ripped it out and started over.  Several inches later on Saturday morning, I decided that 2.75 mm needles made a fabric I didn't like so I ripped that out and started again on 2.5's. That seems to be a good size.  Gauge is very important in Sock Wars.  If your gauge is too far off (8 stitches/inch), you can be disqualified.  I guess this is to keep people from using bulky yarn and finishing in an hour!

I knitted between loads of laundry and managed to get this much done.  I love the yarn.  It's the January yarn from Roxanne (art walk sock yarn club).  The blues are just perfect.  My target said she likes blue.  I think she'll like this.

We headed over to Philadelphia to have dinner with some friends.  I took the weapon with me to work on but it was difficult.  The car ride was too bumpy to be able to knit easily and then it was dark. (it's illegal to drive with the interior lights on). We got home close to 11:00 and I was tired but felt obligated to do a few rows.  Now here we are this morning.  We're meeting Patrick and Kate for breakfast at 10:30 and then I have to go grocery shopping.  I'll probably get a chance to sit down and work on the sock after lunch.  In my head, I see knitters casting off their first sock and casting on the second and I can feel the target on my back.  I'd like to get at least one done before I die but events have not been in my favor!

We had dinner in a Korean restaurant.  The kind of restaurant that Koreans eat at, not Americans.  It was authentic and fun.  There were strange veggies (like lotus root-kind of sweet) and lots of spicy food.  I am not a fan of spicy food but there was enough for me to enjoy,too.  And I ate it with chopsticks. (and managed not to spill any on my shirt, unlike Peter Kevin but we won't talk about that).  It was an enjoyable evening and really?  I don't regret not being able to knit.  We don't see these friends too often and I like them. 

Tomorrow is Martin Luther King Day here in the US.  It's a federal holiday and lots of people have off.(It's supposed to be a day of service and lots of folks volunteer somewhere in their community)   I 'll be at work.  And I am determined to go to find the knitting group at the bookstore. 

But, today is Sunday and after the groceries are brought home and put away, I should be able to spend some quality time with the weapon   sock. 

Sock Wars has begun!  The patterns have been released and I'm waiting for them to print out.  And then I'll be casting on and knitting my heart out!

Wish me luck.

I realized the other day that I have never done a knit along.  I have done the Tour de France knit along but that was a little different.  Everyone knitted their own thing.  I've never done one where everyone knits the same thing. 

This is about to change and in a big way.  I joined the Evenstar kal over at A Few Stitches Short.  Susan is writing a circular shawl (another thing I've never done) pattern based on the Evenstar pendant that Arwen wears in the Lord of the Rings.   It's a beautiful pendant and the shawl promises to be beautiful as well.  It's a mystery kal so we'll only get a part of the pattern at a time.  Every two weeks from Feb 12 until May.  I ordered a cone of cashmere/silk/merino in white.  I wanted to make it white or silver.  I resisted the silver with sparkles.......

I figure I'll be able to start on time because although the pattern for Sock Wars comes out on Friday (at 8 pm my time) I think I'll be dead by early Feb so my needles will be clear and ready.  Oh, and Pk made dinner plans for us with some friends on Saturday night.  I asked him what he was thinking?  I'll need the time to knit my sock weapons!  (We're having dinner at a Korean restaurant with some friends).  I'm taking the socks with me. 

Otherwise, things here are quiet.  Work is busy but it often is right after the holidays.  I think I found two local knitting groups and I want to check at least one of them out.  I really would like to have some local people to knit with.  It always sounds like fun when I read descriptions of people getting together.  I want that, too, so I am going to push past my inclination not to go to someplace where I don't know anyone and at least show up once.  It's a challenge for me because while I'm not really shy, I don't do groups where I don't know anyone well.  I tend to sit by myself and keep to myself.  I figure, at least in this group I know I'll have something in common with everyone there!

Oh, and btw, if you want to join the Kal?  Signups are open until Feb 5th.

I got my dossier for Sock Wars.  My target lives in Vermont and should not worry overly much.  She is retired and I'm glad that I'm not her target since she has discovered sock knitting recently and is loving it.  She's probably a much faster knitter than I.

On Friday on our way home, we stopped at our local shopping center (formerly a mall but has downsized and added apartments and become a 'town center').  We generally stay out of there because there aren't any stores that we really like.  The Borders Express was going out of business and had things at 70% off.  Who can resist a bookstore sale?  Not me.  We found a huge Dilbert collection (Pk and I are avid comics readers.  He says it's because we don't take life too seriously), a new Patricia Cornwell Scarpetta book (called The Scarpetta Factor), a small bag covered with animated super pets which will hold a knitting project for on the go knitting, a new notebook with monsters on it for work, and a calendar.  All for less than 50 dollars.  I've been reading the Kay Scarpetta books for years and even though I think the series is not as good as it was, I coldn't resist the newest one. 

While we were in the shopping center, we walked past the Hallmark store.  They were also having a sale.  We walked in and there on the shelf was one of my very favoritest books.  It's called We're Going on a Bear Hunt (M. Rosen).  When the girls were small, we would make trips to the library at least once a week.  We would load up on books and then everyone would read.  I got this one out once and forever after it became one of my favorite books to check out.  The story is very simple but the repetitive bits are addictive.  If all of my girls are in the same area and I say "we're going on a bear hunt", someone will say "we're gonna catch a big one", someone else will say, "what a beautiful day" and finally "we're not scared".   I've read a lot of books for children and for a while my book shelf was overflowing with children's books.  As the girls got older, I gave many of them away but kept my favorites.  The Velveteen Rabbit and all of the Mercer Meyer Little Critter books (especially Me, too).    And now I have this one.  Someday I'll have little ones to sit next to me on the couch and I'll say "we're going on a bear hunt" and it will start all over again.  What fun.

I got a yarn package in the mail yesterday from Roxanne at art walk sock yarn club.  I haven't posted  about these lately but they just keep getting better and better.  Last month was a red package and this month is cool blues.  They are almost too beautiful to knit with but I will use them.  I'm not a 'yarn for yarn sake' kinda person.

It took all day yesterday to put away the decorations and the tree and clean up the house.  Pk and Elanor brought in shelves and we set up the boxes so they're easily accessible for me and much neater.  They used to be stored in the garage/workshop but now they'll be out of Pk's way.  I did the laundry and got my hair cut.  Today, I'm going to set up the space heater and spin in the sunshine.  Although now that I have an Ott light, I should be able to spin any time of day.  I still like the sunshine best.

And we've got sunshine forcast all week.  It's January sunshine and there's not much warmth in it.  But after all the clouds and rain of the fall, it's lovely.

Have an enjoyable Sunday.

As you go through your day doing all kinds of Saturday stuff (around here that usually includes chores and laundry and shopping but also some time for fun), remember to take time to be good to yourself.  Give yourself an extra minute to enjoy a blue sky, a flower, a nice cup of tea, a conversation with a friend, a hug from a loved one.  Whatever floats your boat.

You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.


-Buddha

Namaste
 (I bow to you. The light within me honors the light within you.)

Welcome to my world, Friday edition.  The weather report called for snow overnight and into this morning.  They never seem to call it right so we didn't know what to expect this morning.  This is what we found out the front door.  This is with no flash and it was darker than this at 6:15 am.  There's about an inch of snow, not enough to make it hard to get around, just enough to make things messy.

When Pk and I leave the house at 6:50 am every day, our street is fairly quiet.  The neighbor across the street is often leaving or has just left.  Otherwise there's not much movement.  Sometimes there are  high school kids walking by but not too often.  When there is snow falling, it is almost silent.  Hear your own heartbeat silent.  The snow muffles everything and it feels wrong to talk and break the silence.  I love that.  You can hear the snowflakes hitting the ground (they make a swisss noise).

Here's a shot of Locust Street in downtown Philadelphia.  The building on the right is an assisted living apartment building.  There's a old man who lives there that I often see on my way home.  He calls me his girlfriend.   My coworkers think this is funny.   As I was walking down the street (my train lets me off about a block and a half from my building), I could see some sunshine behind the clouds so I know when I leave today, most of this will be gone.  Just a small bright spot in an otherwise ordinary January morning.

So, I'm sitting on the bed last night and look at my closet and OMG!  There are glowing eyes!  Is it an alien? a zombie? (although why a zombie would be hiding in my shoes is a mystery)  No, just Hobbes who decided he should sit on the shelf where my shoes should be.  He was not all that thrilled at having his photo taken.  He wouldn't look at me.  Stubborn cat.  He would like nothing more than to have opposable thumbs so he could feed himself and not need us at all.  Once in a while he decides he needs love but I think if he could pet himself, he'd be happier.  I think he hates it that he's dependent on us. 

The Christmas tree comes down tomorrow and all the decorations will be put away.  The good thing is that there will be light in the living room again.  The tree goes in front of the big window and blocks all the light.  The not so good thing is that I miss all the Christmas things.  I know in my heart that one of the things that makes them special is that they only come out for one month of the year. But still..... And it will be time to put away the penguins.  We inherited another one from (assumably) Kate.  It was there when we got home on Wednesday.  Penguinski in action.  It's a good thing Pk never said he liked alligators or water buffalos.

We are finishing up the christmas cookies.  Thank goodness.  I know I am carrying around a few more pounds now than I was in early December.  Time to go back to eating more fruit and yogurt and granola.  But I do love cookies.

I'd like to go and see Avatar or Sherlock Holmes this weekend.  Maybe we can squeeze both in.  Double feature!  And I'm going to find time to work on Pk's sweater before Sock Wars begins.  I've got 5 inches done!  Only 16 more inches to get to the armholes.

Have a good weekend.

We mailed off the galoot-a-clause gift today.  UPS told us it would cost $205 (usd) to mail it.  Two Hundred and Five dollars to mail a package that weighed less than 10 pounds and whose contents were worth less than 25 dollars!  We said, no thanks, and came home and looked up the US postal service.  They "only" wanted 65 dollars.  Since Pk was committed to this, we sucked it up and mailed the box.  Like ravelry, the galoots keep track of those who wimp out and don't send their boxes.  Next year, he'll sign up for a domestic exchange, or send something way lighter than wood.....

Oh, and I mentioned the chocolate.  You know, every good gift box contains some chocolate.  He just looked at me and said, NO.  I guess manly men don't need/want chocolate.  More for us!

Sock Wars starts next week.  The dossiers on our "victims" will be emailed on the 9/10th and the knitting begins on the 15th.  Kate and I are excited even though we are pretty sure we'll get taken out in the first round.  There are 181 knitters in the group (and 4 of them are from New Jersey).  I am entered as Grizzlyknitter (once I took a spirit guide test and it said I was a grizzly bear, a fact my family has had no end of fun with) and Kate is the Paduanknitter.  I warned Pk that once the competition starts, I will be frantically working on my 'death socks' and his sweater will go on the back burner.  I figure with my luck, my assassin will be someone who is not working and can spend all day knitting her weapon.  But I won't give up easily.  I'll go down knitting....

Here's a detail from the recently finished Wildflower shawl.  It's made of fingering weight yarn hand dyed by the lys.  It's called Smokey Sunset.  These colors are fairly true.  (their 'house brand' sock yarn is called Dancing Toes-I love it.  alpaca/merino/nylon blend).  I think I'll make something similar for my Aunt Joan who was feeling cold when we saw her last weekend.  Just a little something to throw over her shoulders.  But probably not something that will need to be handwashed and blocked.  I don't think there's anyone in her household that would take that much care.  I'll have to see if I can find something bulky and warm that will knit up fairly quickly. 

I've only been back to work for 2 days and I'm finding it terribly difficult to stay awake at my desk.  I have three more days of antibiotics and I think they're part of the reason I'm so tired.  (and the reason for the intestinal distress and excessive thirst and the metallic taste in my mouth).  I think I fell asleep this morning.  I woke with a start and a half an hour had gone by.....Thank goodness the office door was closed.  Tomorrow, I'm bringing coffee with caffeine.

I just finished listening to a book that was so enjoyable, I thought I'd share.  It's called The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane by Katherine Howe.  It's one of those semi-historical novels where the action is taking place in the distant past as well as the present.  It was a great 'listen'.  The central theme is witchcraft and women in the 1600's and women's place in society.  It was compelling and I enjoyed every minute of it (even the parts where spells were being cast).  The audio version was fun but I imagine the book itself would be a good read.

I finished Under the Dome (S. King) and the ending was not unexpected.  I did like his explanation for the Dome even if it was a bit far fetched.  It is, after all, fantasy.  I read Charlaine Harris' new Harper and Toliver book, Grave Surprise.  I loved it and now I'm working on Sookie Stackhouse's newest adventure.  Sookie is one of my all time favorite characters.  She's so down to earth and just plain real, even if her life is filled with fairies, werewolves and vampires. 

And because Light a Candle is my inner compass for this year, here's a verse from the song Light One Candle (P. Yarrow)

Light one candle for the strength that we need

To never become our own foe
And light one candle for those who are suffering
Pain we learned so long ago
Light one candle for all we believe in
That anger not tear us apart
And light one candle to find us together
With peace as the song in our hearts

Here's Peter, Paul and Mary singing Light One Candle.

I may be a sap, but it brings tears to my eyes every time.

Have a peaceful day.

Welcome to pajama day.  I have been home from work since 12/23 and it's been like a lovely bubble of time.  I was sick for part of it but somehow that just makes it feel more like a period out of time.  Tomorrow reality comes roaring back into my life and to help myself prepare for it, I am giving myself a pajama day.  I'm wearing clothes (they're warmer than my pj's and the cold January winds are finding every crack and seam to get to me) but the day will be filled with lazing around and taking it easy. 

I talk frequently about the woodworking that Pk does.  I'm amazed at the beauty of the things he can turn out (willi warmer blockers aside!).  The online woodworking community is almost as large as the online knitting community.  They encourage each other and help newbies and share all their knowledge and experience.  Sound familiar?  I thought so.  They have a galoot-a-clause exchange each December and they send each other boxes of goodies (although they seem to leave out the chocolate which I totally don't get).   Pk got a box with some tools and an recently re-published book.  He is sending out these handles that he made.  I wish you could feel them because they feel smooth and as the wood warms from your hands, they just get better and better.  I think they're beautiful.  Two are from wood from old trees in our yard and the third one is from some exotic wood he got as a gift.  These are going to a man in Australia.  I think he'll get a kick out of handles made with NJ wood. 

In our family, it's better not to tell someone that you "like" something.  Pk made the mistake of telling my cousin Joan that he liked penguins.  From that point on, until she died this past spring, she gave him some of the strangest penguins for Christmas.  Our house quickly filled up with penguins covered with green glitter and other manner of substances.  When Em moved out, Pk tried to share some of these goodies in the form of 'penguinski'.  You know, of course, that penguinski is an ancient expression of deep love.  Yes.  You give the one you love a penguin.  Or more than one.  And even better, you secret it somewhere where they won't find it until it's too late to give it back.

This has been going on for two years and this year Kate got to take part in the joy that is penguinski.  She got penguin salt and pepper shakers that Pk left at her house when we were there for dinner. 

Yesterday, we went to Em and Jim's for dinner and Pk left more examples of his love.  He made some plaster penguin magnets and painted them.  They are now adorning Em's refrigerator. ( I'm afraid they're going to stop inviting us for dinner.)  This was in response to the inflatable penguinski Pk found in his workshop after Em left on Christmas Day. 

Just another day here in the Wood family.

And this is the start of the Mr Darcy sweater made out of my handspun alpaca.  The stitch pattern is something called Dot pattern.  It's boring but it makes a light,open fabric which will be perfect for the extra warmth of the alpaca.  The yarn has just the drape that Pk wants so if I do a good job, this should be a perfect sweater for him.  It's just going to take a good long while.  It took me 7 hours to get 4 inches done.  I keep reminding him I'm a slow knitter.  His birthday is in late Feb and if I work consistently, I may be able to get it done.  Unfortunately, that pesky work thing comes back into the picture tomorrow.  (I really shouldn't say 'unfortunately' since I am thankful I have a job that pays me fairly well and comes with benefits).  I'll hold off casting on for the Travelling Woman shawl until I finish the sweater. 

And now I'm off to make some waffles and cook some potatoes for potato salad for dinner.  Have a lovely, peaceful Sunday.

Happy 2010!  (That's said 'twenty-ten'.)  We finally got out of the '0's' and now can move on.

Pk and I had our usual rip roaring time.  We went to our favorite Chinese restaurant for dinner and then had a quiet evening.  He played computer games and I re-cast on for his sweater (I had 6 rows done before I realized it was twisted on the circular needles.  Off it came). We made it to midnight and wished our children Happy New Year (some via text message) and then fell promptly asleep.

We're taking the filter from the pool down to his sister's house and she's feeding us lunch.  We haven't been to her house in years.(family relationships are complicated)  Then it's a brief trip to Home Depot for some bits for his galoot-a-clause gift and then home for ham and potato salad and baked beans.  The beans cooked overnight in the crock pot and they smell wonderful. I'm not a big fan but I love the smell of them and I'll eat a small bit.   Tomorrow we're having dinner with Em and Jim and Sunday will be a pajama day.  (and Monday means back to work but I'm trying not to focus on that right now)

This morning is flying by at an alarming rate. I haven't showered yet and it's already after 10. I've been on the antibiotics for 4 days now and I can finally feel some difference.  The headache and earache are still there but more manageable.  I don't feel quite the urge to sleep all the time and I slept through the night without waking up all sweaty from fever.  It's nice to feel alert.

 I'd like to find some time today to spin.  Pk got me an Ott light and I haven't had a chance to use it.  It's perfect.  I can stand it on the floor right behind my shoulder so as I spin, I'll be able to see what I'm doing.  This will make spinning after work during the winter/early spring nights easier.  This is some of the roving Em and Jim gave me for Christmas.  There are two bundles of mohair and two coordinating bundles of merino.  Have you ever felt mohair roving?  It's like a hank of hair.  It has a dense and almost matted feeling.

 And it's slightly itchy.  I took the hand carders and carded some of each together to make little soft fluffy clouds of roving and they are spinning up nicely into this.  You can't see the bits of lime green that are under the jewel tones of the purple.  It feels nice.  And I am getting to experiment with some different fibers. 

I've been reading people's year end posts.  I have never kept track of what I've made during the year.  I know there were several pairs of socks, two adult sweaters and a baby sweater and several pairs of baby socks.  I think there were a few scarves and one or two shawls, too.  I think I'll try to keep track this year and take photos more faithfully.  Maybe.  No promises.  I'm just not that good at remembering to take photos of things I give away. 

I finished the Wildflowers shawl and it just needs a bath and blocking.  The color is pretty and I love this pattern.  It's the final fo for the year.  I have two pairs of socks on the needles (bayerishce and go with the flow) and pk's sweater and that's it.  I work on the bayerische socks (there on the left) when I am alert and have no time demands.  Because of the pattern, they require all of my attention.  And because I am a tight knitter, this pattern can cause hand pain so it gets short bursts of knitting time.  One sock is done and the second one is halfway down the cuff.  I love the yarn (shibui sock yarn) and I really do like the pattern.  I could see myself making more of these  in different colors.  It's a challenge but a satisfying one.  

I have the yarn and pattern for the Travelling Woman shawl but I think I'll make Pk's sweater a priority for a while.  It's nice to knit with my handspun and to see all the differences in the texture and admire how soft it feels.  I have a feeling it'll become boring because it's knit in the round and the pattern is not a lively one (knit one row, k1p1 one row, knit one row, p1k1 one row, continue for miles and miles )

As far as personal resolutions go, I don't make them.  I do promise myself to try to pay more attention to what I eat and to take good care of myself physically.  I need to get more exercise and I'm going to try to incorporate some yoga into my daily routine.  One of the good things to come out of the Lily drug company is their Wellness plan.  It's set up to help people on psychotropic medications (which can cause increased appetite and weight gain and metabolic disorders) become more health conscious.  I've used it in my groups often.  One of the take-away points that I think makes the most sense is "make one small change at a time".  So many times people fail because they try to make too many changes at once.  It's much easier to focus on one small change.  I think it's time for me to follow my own advice!  Small changes are the focus for the year.  As I get older, I see changes in my body and they're not good ones.  I need to help myself stay healthy and if I do it gradually, it won't seem onerous.  I can't see myself giving up cake (!!) but I can see myself having desert less frequently and having good desert when I choose to eat it.  And eating more vegetables.  No pressure around "dieting", just calm and sensible choices with the knowledge that I'm going to fall and eat the chocolate covered cherries once in a while.

And I'm going to continue to try to be a responsive individual and to be aware of people around me and to be a kinder, gentler person who appreciates the miracles.

My thought for the year:

It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness.

(I looked it up and its origin is unknown but it's been quoted often. It's probably originally Chinese)

So, here's to 2010.  May it be a year filled with lit candles.