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Friend Kristine gave me kitten mittens....awwwwwww I'm off and running on my next WIP...can you take a guess as to what it is?  Friend Kristine also gave me this hot chocolate mix which she swears is the BEST... Fireman was reading a Fitness Bucket List the other day and it got me thinking.... What would be on my Knit Bucket List? Here are some of my thoughts,  please add yours! *Knit a Lopi Sweater that fits me *Knit in Alaska *Knit for a grandchild's Baptism *Write a Knit Book.... yes I really want to... what else should I add? (P.S. Is anyone planning a trip to Universal Studios???)

  Today is Al's 25th Birthday.  Yesterday friend Kristine gave me this pretty pretty coffee cup.   Then the mailed arrived and Al had sent ME a gift.  Two adorable coasters.  She loves how people in Virginia say,  How's Y'alls Mama? They also call baby dolls, doll babies.  When they want to ask you for prayers, they ask, "are you a prayin'person?"  So this darling coaster is in my new desk area..thanks darlin! Today, I met with some knit pals.  Kathy C. is knitting these gorgeous socks.  She is using the toe up method and she loves how she can control the amount of yarn needed for the project.   When she runs out of yarn.......cuff over!   So Happy Birthday Allison Jo.  I'm so blessed to call you my daughter and my friend!

  It started out like this:   a Log Cabin blanket..... It started out right after Christmas.... Then it turned to stripes. I stayed pretty much monogamous throughout the 2 months.     Now I love it.  It is for my family.  (cats not included)   The specs:  48 inches long, 36 inches wide. Knit on circular Clover needles size 8  Yarn: Simplicity by Hikoo  55% Merino  SUPERWASH 28% acrylic 17% Nylon ( sometimes it is splitty yarn)  The Cost:  about a hundred dollars.  Each Skein is 107 meters for $6.75.     The colors: (obviously: ) Black Brown Green Red Cream and a bit of Aqua.    There are a few mistakes, but I hid them well.   Thanks for the encouragment on the blanket journey.   I think its time for a nap...

  Al and I both baked cakes yesterday.   I baked a carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.   Al baked a cake with coconut frosting.   I think it was a yellow cake.  We both need frosting help.... Fireman can frost a cake beautifully.  I had every intention and wish to finish the blanket yesterday but duty called.   Work is very busy and they asked for help so I went in. The good news: I got to see irisheyes Lynn!  TODAY I am finishing the blanket. This is a tiny needle sizer that I got in a swap.  Isn't it cute? I'm swapping some needles with my knit friend Kathy C.  Off to finish that blanket.... are  you like your daughter in ways?

  Somethings .........like real maple syrup  Like beautiful sock yarn  that has some bounce to it  Like a good work bag, although mine is a gift from AL Like hand lotion that soothes these nurse hands I'll pay a little more for  a great haircut  I won't pay more for  Sunglasses, because I just lose them I won't pay more for valet parking......I need the walking anyhow or for earrings because I often lose them too. How about you?  What will you pay a little more for? and what will not pay more for??

  This Is Sprocket...she's going to be long haired Lucy momma and Bonk posing Spinner, also longhaired, looks out onto the BIG WORLD as zach titled this image he captured.  Now for knitting, and thanks for the kitten time.  I love this aqua and cream lopi sweater.  What is it about aqua and cream that I love? I shall officially finish the blanket either today or tomorrow.  It is beginning to hurt my wrist.  Its gotten heavy and long. I can't wait to show it to you.... I had a topic for today's post and I've forgotten it since last night. Sorry!  Just Friday rambling, I'm afraid.  What hurts your wrist ????

  This is a FIXIE, or a fixed gear bike. Someone rides it to work at our Target.  I LOVE this bike. I LOVE its Paint job. It's an old HUFFY.  You don't really need many gears to ride the flats here in Chicagoland.... and I think it is the cutest bike I've ever seen.   (I've seen a lot of bikes due to Fireman's cycling life) Sock Yarn Studio caught my eye at the library the other day.  I will be knitting some of the patterns in this book.  I think I'll make the Alexander Street Hat and the fair isle Kitten Mittens from this book...... When you gave me permission to rest the blanket knit for a bit, Zach asked me to copy a Free rides legend Jeremy Jones Beanie.  With friend Karen's help I came very close to a copy.  It is a simple ribbed hat with a few opposing rows of purling in another color.   We are expecting snow, so I know Zach will wear it well. His friends from Mexico are coming for dinner and sledding this weeke...

  Finished: the Very easy BabyBooties.  What we've been watching.  How about a little bit of Jeopardy? The Category: Blog Authors *This knit blogger's Black Bean and Brazilian Sausage Soup is a family favorite.. Who is: Jennifer at Majorknitter.com *She's a Virginia Blogger who calls Thursday : little Friday Who is: Channon at chanknits.wordpress.com *Her dog Ginny, makes her life not so Quiet.  Who is: Donna Booshay at  Booshay.blogspot.com *Her Daddy Quilts..... who is Araignee at  http://araigneestangledweb.blogspot.com *Hardly and ODDBALL, she regularly knits her share of charity blankets and mails them to the next knitter WHo is:  Nancy at wyomingbreezes.blogspot.com and  the final clue in the category: *She's reading  THE CURSING MOMMY"S BOOK OF DAYS who is : WORKKNITSTUDY.blogspot.com there ....the answers for you to enjoy ...go over and read their blogs too!

  Lucy has her paws full now that the babies are on the move.  The have tiny teeth and they wrestle one another playfully.  She is the sweetest cat. I wish I knew someone who wanted a wonderful cat........ do you??  Since you ALL and I mean ALL of you who commented gave me permission to switch knit gears, I did. I'm finishing the second Baby Bootie in Ellen Lynch's Pattern: No Muss No Fuss Seamless Baby Booties.  (they really are no muss no fuss.) I would have been uninterested had I read ahead and saw I had to use two circulars.  See there is a good part to some of us who just cast on without reading the whole pattern.... I am delighted that I can knit on two circs.  Ellen's pattern in very easy to understand.  (free on Ravelry too!) I accidentally used two different colored circ needles and it helps me keep track of which side I'm knitting on.  As long as I use the same color needle on each side, I'm good....

I've remained faithful to the "Blanket" all week.    Beatles wanted a bit of Blog time and if you look closely you'll see Tank's tail in the last image as well.   I have a few more days of knitting on this blanket to be finished.  I love how it is working up.  Can I have permission to cast on some little baby booties or something this weekend?  Tell me no.  Tell me to finish this blanket... or Tell me : Permission granted.   Have you read Gretchen Rubin's Happiness Project? Gretchen talks about how some people can only pursue on thing at a time....for example Some of us can't diet and budget at the same time.  If we have to be committed to one thing, we simply can't do another.  I'm a bit THAT way.    I'm open to change!   Anyone want to give me permission to cast on some baby booties????

  For some reason, Fireman wanted to be sure my wedding gown was still in good condition in the box in the basement. Yippee, it is in great condition. I wore a hat at my wedding.  The nicest thing about my dress was the back of it.  It was an open oval in back.  This complied with the strict Catholic rules about wedding dresses back in the day....... ahhhhh the things the Church decides to focus on sometimes baffle me.  Oh wait, this is a knit blog! I was waiting at Costco for  Zach to have an eye exam.  I was knitting my blanket dutifully.  I cannot tell you how many men I saw buying roses for their Valentines in just an hour.  This lumberjack beau bought 2 dozen... makes me wonder..... maybe his gal is just twice as wonderful as one gal.... Its the WEEKEND.  I'm off and hoping no meteors venture near you or me.   Happy knitting. 

my blanket is 3 feet long now. I'm ready to be finished . I heart the way it is coming along I heart the easy knitting But beat beat I'm bored. Here are my lovely treats from CoffeeKnitter for Yarn Miracles Swap. Chibi's are the best and I LOVE those stitch markers!! Monday I dropped my computer.   Last year I spilled coffee on it The year before I spilled coke on it Argh At least this time it is repairable...... Zach in his infinite wisdom Asked me if I ever dropped a baby at work NO!   I have not Then carry it like a baby he said.... Why did nt I think of that?

The Three Little Kittens have lost their mittens.... and Fixie is not in the group picture.  THey are on  the move now..... DId you watch the DOG show?  I love WEstminster... Someday?? another dog??? Knitting the blanket is so lovely on a cold day when I have it long enough now to cover my lap. THe knitter should benefit too eh? My own Ten this Tuesday: Top Ten Fast Foods; Mcdonalds Now filet of fish and fries.  Minus the sauce and the cheese. Jimmy Johns: veggie subs sandwich....very good Wendy's: Newer fries with skin on, .mmmmmm Wendy's chili Steak and Shake one bite burger.... Chipotle: Mmm Guacamole and yes to the chips Culvers: great fries Einstein Bagels: Toasted salt bagel with a shmear of buttah Subway: Veggie subs with southwest sauce ..mmm and Finally Baskin RObbins because ice cream is a fast food

Sprocket and Fixie are looking a little sleepy in this image.  The little Lucy Lou family is growing every day.  I complain about purling.  Do You?  I complain that I'm much slower at purling than knitting .  This weekend,  I asked Fireman to clock me....(not that way!)  I have been working on my blanket and its is all stockinette. It took me a full 30 seconds longer to purl a row, than to knit a row.  Is this the case in your knit house??  A half a minute longer to purl actually surprised  me.  I thought there would be a much bigger difference in my stitches. So add up all those half minutes and if I had done the blanket in garter stitch, I'd be finished by now....or so I surmise. Another way to look at it, because seconds count..... is that I cannot fix garter stitches when dropped, as easily as I can fix stockinette.   I know I am not a perfect knitter; stitches will fall, so  I have to ...

  Good friend Linda, asks, IT IS SPRING YET?     Since Rosalyn gets her thyroid medication via her ear, I found these awesome Witchhazel wipes for her.  Guess where I found them.....yeah TJ Max.  Go figure... 2 bucks.   Our Sally Beauty Supply sells this Moroccan oil knockoff shampoo and conditioner.  My opinion:  not impressed. Not at all impressed. It doesn't smell great and it doesn't lather well. After using the shampoo and conditioner for 2 weeks now, I can say I'm disappointed.  I watched a Documentary called Pregnant in America yesterday on HULU for free.   Hmmmm, Interesting.   Finally I'm all about the blanket knitting so I best go pick up the needles !!!   Have you tried any new products lately?

  I was thinking of knitting a basket, and I kid you not, one appeared. I was looking for some yarn for the cowl for Fireman and out of the sloppy stash in the closet.....came this adorable pink basket.  Did I make this?  Did you make it and give it to me? I have NO recollection of making this.  I do recall the yarn.  OMG, it was time to get off night shift....how could I forget this adorable basket?   Tis now next to my new desk.  \ Lucy Lou's kittens are 2 full weeks old today!~ Here is Fixie.  The first time we held her she hissed a teeny kitty hiss at us.  It was her instinct and it was adorable. Now she likes to be held a bit.   Work has been slow so I have had lots of time to watch the kittens and I love it.    Today: Blanket blanket blanket knitting... On a mission to finish it this weekend!~ are you on a mission this weekend?

  How lovely the male Cardinals look in mid-winter.  This guy rested in our bushes for a good long while yesterday.   He must have known wild weather was coming...   I used up some yarn to make another cowl for Fireman.  He rides his bike to work even in winter.  I had other plans for this knit up but It ended up being a perfect tightly fitting cowl.  It is just a striped garter tube of 14 inches doubled over on its self for thickness and warmth.   I cast on 68 stitches (worsted weight)  and knit back and forth on (8)  straights for 14 inches.    I left the live stitches on one needle and used a crochet hook to pick up the other side because I hadn't anticpated the need for a 3 needle bind off at the get-go.  Otherwise I would have used a provisional cast on at the beginning of this neck/face warmer.   Then I worked the 3 needle bind off.  I simply folded the 14 inch tube over on itself and VOila...

  A- View from the bridge B-ready for a new sideways hat soon C-if you can beat the kids on Jeopardy this week. D-odorize your washing machine with Baking Soda E-rase the thought of metal needles in my knit life F-you can,  leave me a comment with your favorite app name G-I wish I could enjoy the kitchener stitch H-where it scratches I-loved using my trekking poles from Santa in the snowy woods today J-ays are my favorite potato chips of all time K-aloric intake exceeded output over the holidays L-evating my feet after working a 12 hour shift really helps  M-and M's are simply addictive to me.  N-don't think the dark chocolate M and M's are any less addictive 0-my goodness, I need to finish something that I've started to knit this year. P-Nuts on a hot fudge sundae are my favorite Q-the music, I'm ready to workout R-you tired of this little game yet? S-steam is important if you want to be bra...

These two are BONK and SPINNER.  They opened their eyes last. They are quiet ones.   This is Fixie: the loud girl.  Still the most vocal.  Sprocket looks quite a bit like Fixie.  Sprocket is calm.   Whenever one of the kittens wanders, I am inclined to carry them back to mom, and then I say ," What would Jane do?"  (Jane Goodall of course) and I try to just watch.   The kittens always manage to get back to Lucy Lou on their own.  I am still very hands off.  They are not 2 weeks old until Friday.  Still a fragile time, and I don't want to spook Lucy Momma.  The kittens best shot is with their mamma for another 3 weeks minimum.  Lucy makes it easy.  She is so sweet and attentive.  She loves the attention I give to her.   Oh Knitting: I got sidetracked on the baby sweater idea. I flipped through Last Minute Gifts that Al left at our house when she moved.  :)  I found ...