New links

Take a look at my Mom's blogs, listed in the Friends and Family links. She's new to blogging. I finally convinced her to sign-up with blogger to leave comments on my blog and to create one of her own. Yeah, Mom!

Blue sweater update

I finished the knitting on the blue sweater. The two sleeves are even the same size! Now I just need to block it and sew up the seams. At least I think I need to block it first. Not really sure.

Spoonerisms - a family tradition

My parents have always had fun with spoonerisms. Especially my Dad. For example, when we're working on the deck and the block between the joists doesn't fit, he says "it foesn't dit." Or when he declares what we're having for Saturday breakfast, he says "blueffles and waberries."

When my husband was introduced into the family, it sometimes took him a minute to decipher the phrase. But since we've been around my parents more while working on the deck, he's gotten into the swing of things. Now while we're at home, he practices them. So while we're at my parents' it's a funny back-and-forth between my Dad and my husband. Welcome to the family!

Pics of new project

Here's the pattern example and the yarn. Isn't it a pretty lavender? So far I have ten rows finished. I'm really excited to work on this; I'm trying to get the other projects done so I can work on this full time.

First sleeve

Here's the first sleeve for my sweater. I'm kinda anxious to get it finished to see what it will look like.

New project

Today I started a new knitting project: a lavender baby afghan. I bought the yarn, pattern book, and my first set of circular needles. I started tonight, and I discovered it's going to take awhile to finish. There are 176 stitches on one row! So far I've completed 2 rows, not including the casting on.

I will post pictures of the pattern and yarn tomorrow.

On my blue sweater, I have finished the first sleeve and barely started the second sleeve. It still looks way to big to fit me right. I'm kinda frustrated with it right now because it doesn't look like it will fit and I knit it all for nothing. But I'm still going to finish it, and we'll go from there.

New scar

About a month ago, I went to the dermatologist to ease my mother's prodding. My Mom kept insisting I have this one mole on my left cheek checked out and probably removed. It's been important to keep a good check on my moles because my grandma had malignant melanoma, so it's good to remove all irregular-looking moles.

During the appointment, the doctor removed 5 moles total, including the one on my cheek. About a week later, he called me and said the pathology report came back showing irregular cells in the mole. He suggested I have more removed by a plastic surgeon to make it less noticeable.

After an initial appointment for the surgeon to take pictures of the surgical site, the doctor did the procedure and applied a steri-strip. I went back a week later and had the superficial stitches removed and another steri-strip put on. So now I have a new scar. It's about an inch long, very flat and smooth. I haven't been able to get a good look at it, but my husband assures me the docotor did a very nice job.

On the patio

Tonight we grilled chicken on the BBQ and ate out on the patio. Then after dinner, we decided that to take advantage of the nice weather before it gets too cold we should sit outside some more. So my husband got his Star Wars book, and I got my stitching (and my blanket because it was a little breezy).

There were several birds that came to eat at the feeder, including House Finches, a Blue Jay, and a Nuthatch. We enjoyed ourselves out there until finally my husband said he was too cold. That is a rare occurrence in our home!

Bewitched review

This is a good, funny movie. It has lots of twists and turns, and it ended differently than I thought it would.

Will Ferrell was terrific in this role. Usually I don't enjoy his acting. For that matter, I usually don't like anybody from Saturday Night Live.

So I give Bewitched a B+. Although I recommend renting it. It's not necessary to see it the big theater.

Meet Macy

Meet Macy, our cat. She'll be four next month.
In this picture she is lying upside down on our bed.

Back to school?

Recently I've thought about going back to school. There is a university that's very close. I've also thought about going to a massage school. Before my husband and I got married, I had talked about becoming a masseuse. My husband really liked that idea. Go figure! I had forgotten about it and was talking to him about going to school again, and he reminded me about the massage thing.

I requested info from a local school today, and a woman from admission gave me a call. She's sending an information packet, and I'll see what the program involves, how long it takes, etc. I'm excited about learning more about it!

Where's George?

While commenting on another blog post about internet obsessions I found a friend that keeps a www.wheresgeroge.com score. I left a comment under his comment and said that my husband does that too! Then today the friend called me and asked if it was me who left the comment! Oh, it's so fun to be connected!

If you haven't heard of Where's George yet, check out their site. My husband really enjoys watching his rank in the state climb with every George hit. His current score is around 120 out of about 2000 people in our state.

Look through the window

I have been realizing lately that I don't know what I'm doing. Sometimes it feels like I have a lack of goals and desires. But other times I know what I want to do and do whatever it takes to get there. This has been an issue with me for a very long time.

Tonight I kinda had an episode, but my loving husband was here to comfort me and hold me. I am so very grateful for him and his willingness to work with me through whatever it is that I feel I need to go through.

Sometimes I feel like I have to keep a smiling face on my blog. But I guess it is more an exercise of shining the light through the window to show my soul and what goes on in my world.

It's frustating at times because I have so much I want to say and so many thoughts going through mind, but I have have a hard time expressing them all. Maybe it just takes practice. So I guess I will try to share some honest thoughts and feelings along with my knitting projects.

Signing up is a good thing

Just so you know, I have my blog set up so that people wanting to leave comments need to sign up with blogger. I do this so I can know who left the comment. For some reason I'm really paranoid about having anonymous comments on my blog.

It's really not that big of a deal to sign up with blogger. You don't have to create a blog if you don't want to, just a profile (I think). I have had a very good experience with blogger. They don't sell your email, and they have a pretty cool help section to discover all the neat things you can do with your blog. Plus it would be cool if you did decide to keep a blog because then I could put a link on my site to your site! Wouldn't that be fun?

So, to sum up: sign up, leave a comment, create a blog, have fun! Thanks everyone!

A little farther along

Here is the front and first sleeve so far. There's not much to look at on the sleeve, but it's coming along.

Comments - what a good idea!

In the blogging world comments are very desired. They show what readers think and promote regular posts and creative ideas. I try to add fun posts here and there to spark interest. I just wanted everyone to know how much I appreciate comments on my blog.

Started first sleeve

I have started the first sleeve. Twice. The pattern calls for an increase by knitting in the front and back of one stitch. I looked in one book and didn't understand the drawings. In another book I didn't understand how it related to the first book. So when i did the first row with increases I messed up somehow. I went a few more rows and decided that just wouldn't do. So I took out the all ten rows and started over. This time I think I got it. I'll post a picture tomorrow.

Whoops

Well, I get to learn how to pick up dropped stitches. I dropped a few on the left shoulder on the sweater. I tried to pick them up correctly, but it doesn't look right. Luckily I know a local yarn store that gives free help on all knitting questions. I will be visiting them soon!

Thankful

I've been thinking lately how blessed we are to have clean water every day whenever we want it. Fresh water is a rare commodity in third world countries and in the hurricane disaster areas in the Gulf Coast.

I cannot comprehend what it would be like to lose everything and not be able to communicate with family and friends. My heart goes out to everyone who has been affected by this catastrophe. If you feel the same and would like to help, please go to the American Red Cross and donate. And be thankful for the simple things we have in life, including food, water, and our family and friends.

To the shoulders

I am now to the front shoulders on my blue sweater. I will probably finish the front today and start on the sleeves. Exciting!

Sniper 2 review

Another movie we watched recently was Sniper 2. I liked Tom Berenger in the first Sniper movie, but this redundant sequel was dull and empty, oh, and not to mention predictable.

I hope to see some better movies soon.

The Medallion review

We watched The Medallion with Jackie Chan, Claire Forlani, and Lee Evans. It was so cheesy and corny I was glad to be knitting so I could zone out. Lee Evans (he played small roles in Fifth Element and There's Something About Mary) simply overplayed his character. It was painful to watch.

I usually enjoy Jackie Chan, movies, like The Tuxedo, Around the World in 80 Days, and Rush Hour. But Lee Evans absolutely stunk up this movie and ruined it for Jackie.

Knitting group again

I went to the knitting group again this week. I was surprised to see that there were several different people there than the week before. It was quite a lively group with lots of chatting. And there was something about cheesecake that night... almost everybody had a piece!

I enjoyed myself just as much as the time before. It's so nice to be able to have some time set aside for knitting each week!