Jersey Girls

Just returned from a trip to see my Girl! Oh, and that little guy she married... what was his name?

Dianna is my daughter-in-law, but I call her my daughter and my friend because only outlaws should have inlaws, at least in my family. Now in my husband's family, inlaws should be avoided at all costs. But that's another blog. See www.takemymotherinlawplease.blogspot.com . Kidding.

Here's a picture of us at Michael's admiring the Caron Pounder... that's a pound of acrylic, my friend. Notice how Dianna is trying not to cut her fingers on it? Anything you make out of Caron one-hundred-percent-acrylic yarn is going to look sharp. Hell, it's going to BE sharp. Careful Dianna! (editor's note: We did not buy the Caron Pounder)

We enjoyed a week of sweat-shop knitting, good food, serious shopping, and chick-flicks. It was just like old times when Dianna lived with us. I miss her. She kept me fed, clothed, and honest.

Well, Christmas is coming and I have all my shopping done. Yes, it's true. But the reason is less than romantic: Our packers and movers come in three days and after a whirlwind packout, clearing, 3200-mile drive, and one short ferry ride, we'll be sliding into the holidays on Whidbey Island on the 20th of December. I decided I would like to arrive in the Santa-esque style: With all gifts ready to give! It's the best Christmas ever since I don't have to bake, decorate, plan, cook, or host! I can rest my face for the entire holiday and just enjoy it.

I'm knitting a few things for the most 'well deserving' of my clan. The longer I knit the more discerning I become on who is 'knit-worthy'. You know who you are.

I will most likely be out of touch for a few weeks until we get up to Seattle, but watch for me when I return from the dark side of the skein...

Momma is a Yarn Ho?

I'm just sayin'...

I have a heckuva lot of yarn. What's that about? I like to think that I'm not some crazy yarnaholic, but the truth is dark and unpleasant.

I'm a yarn-hoard... more commonly known as a Yarn Ho... because Yarn Hoard is too long? Hm.

I'm cleaning out my sewing room in prepartion for The Big Move to Seattle next month. I call it a sewing room because it has a Bernina on the table... um, underneath a few layers of yarn and knitted goods. I used to sew. I used to quilt... um, I used to cook. I used to read. I used to talk to my neighbors. I used to clean my house. I used to alphabetize my spices for crying out loud!

And now?

Well, now I knit.

Going through the archeological dig I call my Yarn Stash reminds me of quite a few things. Like how I used to be enamoured of green yarn for instance. Or that I actually purchased 12 balls of Rowan Cotton 4-ply and planned to knit a garment! On that note, how about the other 1200 balls of yarn I apparently traded my paychecks for with the intention of cleverly making them up into something other than what they are... namely, balls of yarn? I'm going to have to do something to remedy that.

I'm sure that once I'm out of the knitting loop I'll turn my gaze homeward and remember the yarn of my youth... working in a yarn store is cloying. It keeps you abreast of all the new yarns, but never lets you finish a project before you're lured by the Siren's Song of yet another new yarn! It's a conspiracy, I tell you! I'm weak. My needles are willing but my resolve is weak... or is it just my memory? I honestly had forgotten I had so many aspirations for these fibers! Can I blame old age?

So I'm hoping that this move will help me refocus on the good things I have at home: namely about $2,000 worth of yarn that seemed like a good idea at the time.

Help me, Obi Knit-One Kenobi, you're my only hope?

Witch Geisha?

Ellen and Julie and their Halloween Ghoultinis!