FEELING BETTER

The living room couch and I are on intimate terms - we haven't left each other for days.  The dog's needs motivate me into an upright position, that, and the never-ending piles of kleenex which have to be discarded before Harley eats them.    Why do dogs like to eat paper products?  I am sick with a rotten cold and flu bug.  Scott is in the bahamas, poor thing.  Nice work if you can get it.


The east coast is bracing for a storm that will allegedly carry blizzard conditions and over a foot of snow.  This comes as no surprise as it ALWAYS snows when Scott jets off for the Cay.  Envy is nibbling at my fingers and toes - creeping down my spine.  When the caribbean calls come through I almost don't want to answer them!  Intellectually, I GET IT! One goes when and where the work beckons.  Emotionally, I am a serious cry baby because I'd like to be on Staniel Cay, dipping my toes in the turquoise waters.  Someone has to stay home and hike up the thermostat take care of the animals and show up for work.  And shovel that anticipated snow!


The daughter and I went over to LYS and some lovely merino/camel mix jumped into my bag:

I love the stitch definition that this wool produces.  How about that cute pattern?  I have to stop for a moment and voice my opinion (pulling out soap box ...)  I found this pattern on 'Patternfish' for $8.00 which seemed a bit high, certainly more than the scores of wonderfully available Ravelry downloads, but what the hey.  It appealed to me. Two days later my copy of 'Patternworks' appeared and this very same pattern was featured in the back of the issue, discounted by half.  Now, I find this annoying.  And somewhat unfair.  Let's all get on the same page, people.  

I mean really - I am happy to support designers and this craft that I so dearly love.  God knows, the lion's share of my salary goes directly to promotion of knitting in some form or another.  I think it's ok to feel a little disheartened over this lack of regulation ... even if it is so small.  Chris deLongpre - you might want to check out the status of your patterns in the world.  Just sayin' ...

The Yarn Harlot makes for good sick-day reading.  She's a funny woman, wickedly so.  I like that she and I share the same view of the importance of the spiral notebook.  Without it and my expansive notes I would be LOST.  Thanks Stephanie, for reminding your readers that this is one essential knitting tool.

Finally, before I drag myself back to the couch, I want to sneak preview something that I've been working on.  This is the border on a piece that I am creating for my office mates.  I don't know if you can decipher the heart shapes in the red batik, but these two fabrics were chosen specifically for their pithy juxtaposition ... one day, when I get closer to retirement, we'll have a little chat about the combatant forces that exist in my workplace.  Exciting stuff.  


Where the hell heck are the shovels?