Sometimes, spit happens

Let's just say...there has been a lot of 'spit' lately. As in fighting off a depressive bout, not hearing back from people who said they would contact you sooner, my mom's surgery, emotional exhaustion, random back pain, and to top things off I apparently picked up bronchitis. Ain't nobody got time for that! So, lots of stuff. However, in the midst of all that I've been working on several items. Let's recap, shall we?

I managed to brilliantly match the stripes on the Vinovias, BUT

despite ripping out the stress-knit toe (hospital visiting will do that to you) to redo it, there STILL was a bit of the next color on the second toe. Oh well, I am soooo done with this project. They will still keep Tiffany's feet warm, and I'm ready to move on to the next sock.

I also plied up the first third of the pinky-purple stuff from Rebekah, and WOW. Just WOW. Not only am I getting much better as a spinner, but boy is this stuff lovely! Now I just need to get the other thirds spun...

This weekend, because I figured I could use the finishing endorphins, I picked up probably my oldest surviving WIP, a hanging dishtowel that I abandoned all but done before heading to Africa. Well, a few minutes work added the green top, and now I just need to figure out either a) where I put the buttons I have, or b) find something suitable to buy.

This helped kickstart my making a second one this weekend, only this one is for a trade with a friend. Apparently, having bronchitis plays HAVOC with my ability to count, so I had to rip this out...more times than I'd care to admit. However, it was worth it as I'm digging both the color combination, but also the fact that I KNOW it's just as it should be.

I've been making good progress on my Fancy Mee shawl as well. I'm really wondering how big this will end up, and if I need to add to it. At the moment, I'm just enjoying the ride...

I did some cooking before/as I got sick this weekend. I made bagels for Saturday breakfast,

as well as this adorable apple pie for my Dad's birthday dinner. Pretty pleased if I do say so myself!

So, that pretty much gets you caught up on what I've been doing for the last two weeks or so, and hopefully I can kick this plague and get my life back sooner rather than later! Parting shot: Sister dates at the Grizz with your new Chickenboots bag which is AMAZING helps a lot of things.

Rest, in all its forms, is a great gift

It’s amazing what the human body can bear up under short term, and yet again I found myself at a weekend off at precisely the moment before I cracked under the pressure of exerting my dubious super power—the ability to put in 15-16 hour days on 6 or less hours of sleep. This weekend I got some healing sleep, had an evening of brownies and friends, and have had some time to work on knitting projects.

I continue to be ‘star struck’. I think the draw in these are a) they are adorable and b) they are completable in an evening of knitting, so you get that finishing endorphin rush. I have a particular reason to make so many, and I just met my goal of six for particular gifting purposes. I was thinking today it would be fun to make a star bunting out of the leftovers of favorite yarns. Yet another thing to do once I am reunited with my stash! I have a whole scrap box that I can’t wait to put to use.

I have been working on fingerless gloves out of the leftover yarn from my Box Pleat hat, but I realized after birthday party that I was not. going. to. have. enough. yarn. CRUMB. So, I went back to the purple that had been my first thought, and started again. I waffled a few times about whether or not to try and do a more fancy pair, but the reality is I’m getting about an hour average of knitting time during the week, so if I need TWO of these (and I do plan to leave here with two hands), then I should probably stick with my basic rib idea. I did learn when I was increasing for the thumb gusset on the now abandoned pair that I should probably do my increases with two rest rounds between, so at least that knitting wasn’t in vain. So long blue gloves…

This weekend I made hamburger buns which I was rather afraid wouldn’t turn out, but they rose beautifully in the oven so all was well. These are really good buns, and I’ll probably make them sometimes when I’m back Stateside. That being said, I’m not going to be sorry to be living somewhere that I can just *buy* things like hamburger buns!

The ‘lasts’ are starting to come hard and fast now, and I’m getting more and more excited about the coming new phase of my life. It’s a wonderful gift—a new life, but it’s also one that is messy, hard to process, and going to take a lot of work. I’m trying to keep the baby steps going, but sometimes it’s a little overwhelming what all needs to happen between now and December 15th. Oh well, I guess I’ll just go knit a few more stars!