Goodbye to 2010 ... and childhood innocence

On the eve of 2011 - I should be reflecting, but instead I'm consumed with guilt and doubt. Today, Santa died. Well, the innocence of Santa, and the belief in the magic of all that he is was expelled in a horrible moment of vulgar truth. I really don't know how it happened ... it resembled a slow-motion train wreck that I couldn't avoid. It started with the tooth fairy, and it went downhill rapidly from there. I guess it seems fitting to close that chapter as we embark on a new year - but .... it is sad .... for all of us.





We're holding our own ... our little clan is celebrating in our jammies with yummy treats and French bubbly. Blessings, love and peace in 2011.

perfidy

"The meaning of life" said Botticelli, "is suffering, specifically the suffering of others."

...

"Ha," said Botticelli, "ha-ha-ha! You gain [their] trust, you refuse [them] and -- ha-ha -- you become what [they] knew you were all along, what you knew you were all along, not a friend, not a confessor, not a forgiver, but -- ha-ha! -- a rat!"

~ The Tale of Desperaux, p. 88, 90.

Ms. DiCamillo, brilliant and talented you are. So many times your words have spoken directly to my heart ... today, however, you broke it.

30, 31, 32 ....

Elizabeth Zimmerman is the Albert Einstein of knitting - that's undisputed . I've read some of her books and her revolutionary techniques seem to be part of so many main stream patterns, including Tangled Yoke (which I completed - thank you very much). So please tell me why counting beyond 30 is posing a challenge for me? Shown here is the sad, frogged remains of my FOURTH attempt at the infamous baby surprise jacket. This pattern is simple genius - and the reason for my knitting it is pure curiosity. I'm defeated for the moment but not conquered ... I shall return and meet success ...



Speaking of success, Yarn Harlot's Sock Recipe socks are completed. They didn't make it across the finish line for the Ravelympics ... again - the numbers !!!! I thought I had until 8:00am on Monday not Sunday!!! Nonetheless, they are pure heaven. The yarn is from Sockpixie (amazing ... you must treat yourself to a skein) ... the pattern is above. Although still perplexing is how I managed to cast on for these, as the CO number certainly exceeded 30 ; )

A *Joy*ful smile and my first Meme : )

I think someone is quite happy about the tub. She's been so patient through this all ... thanks Joy : )

So a fun part of blogging are these little memes ... far be it for me to pass up any invitation to write about myself ; ) This is my first .... and we're off .... the rules of the game:

Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.

Ok here we go:

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?

Ten years ago ... 1998. I was submersed in the miserable abyss of infertility. I fought the daily war against myself to push my body to go places it was never going to reach. That scarring journey changed my life ...

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list for today (not in any particular order):

1. go to my parent's house for breakfast with my daughter and Chloe (my dog) ... sans hubby, as he's away with some friends;

2. go the the pool ... pool time is short lived in the Northeast ... embrace the moment people!

3. Work on my socks for the Ravelympics ;

4. do laundry;

5. get ready for work and the week ahead!

3. Snacks I enjoy:

Call me goofy, but I L O V E edamames ... and almonds, chips with guacamole ... avocados and potato chips (basically anything salty) and dark, rich chocolate ... but I try to consume the earlier mentioned snacks more than the latter ; )

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:

Family responsibility doesn't count, right ... so of course I'd take care of my daughter, parents, in-laws and my brother. The first thing I'd buy is a horse worthy of winning the triple crown (a gift for the man who's given me so much); I'd fund the building of local schools ... lots, and lots, and lots of schools ... with class sizes not to exceed 12 students .... and maybe a library or two; then I would give money to my favorite friends (MFC and MES) to open a yarn store ... then we'd travel together (when I wasn't travelling with my family) and explore yarn stores around the world ... gee, that was fun ... I felt like George Bailey talking to Violet Bick in that scene in It's a Wonderful Life!

5. Places I have lived:

My response to this is pathetic ... do I have to ?!!! I've never lived outside of Massachusetts. If, however, I could *tweak* this ... I would want to live in either:

1. Boston, right in the city. We live North of Boston now ... not too far, but I would love to live right in the heart of it. It is, in my completely biased, humble opinion - the BEST city ever!

2. Chicago ... Dolores is there - need I say more?;

3. Sonoma California ... between the yarn and the wine, does it get any better?!

4. Milan one of the fashion capitals of the world and so very close to Lake Como (with George as a neighbor and a good yarn store or two, who could ask for more);

5. Naples, FL (Nick, that's for you. However, you and I both know that wool and Florida do not mix).

6. Peeps I want to know more about aka, the "tagees":

I would like to know so much about so many more people. So, tag ... you're it! : )

I found this on Craftyloca ... she's so witty and terrific - plus she has the cutest boys!!

完成 ...

完成 = finished in Chinese ...

It's been a surprisingly easy journey

from our older bath ...

to where we are now.

I cannot thank Mike and Brandon enough for all their amazing hard work. Without the pure focused talent and the non-stop dedicated work ethic they displayed to push this along, we'd still be showering in the back yard. Instead, I'm relaxing ... thanks guys !

The Great Wall ... Day 4 !!

It's day 4 ... and of course what would any great job be without the expected "hiccups" and chaos. Enter ... the medicine cabinets ... Mike and Brandon are seasoned veterans ... you've witnessed how they've ripped apart a bath and put it back together in mere days (3 to be exact, but who's counting) ... but when faced with the medicine cabinets from mars ... Mike compared their installation to work on the The Great Wall of China. It was that horrific ... you'll note Brandon in the background getting a chuckle at Mike's expense. They're a great team - simply amazing and talented people with every good intention and HUGE hearts ... I'd be such a liar to say that I'm not anxious for the bath to be done ... but truth be told - I'm going to miss them : ( To complicate issue more ... the faucets posed a problem ... I'm not even going there (because I went *there* - as in two different Home Depots and a Lowes) ... I just cannot imagine how people build houses and deal with these issues room after room after room ! One room folks ... and I'm ready to JUMP!!

And boys and girl ... please indulge me when I tell you that this is the TIP of the iceberg ... I was awaken by a certain someone tossing rocks at our bedroom window so that I could obliged him with the morning kitchen/garden shower ....

note the steam ... yes ... despite the date (August 14 ) it's chilly in the Northeast corner of the world at 5:50 AM ... thank GOD there is knitting to save the day ! The heel flaps are worked,the heels turned and the gussets are being decreased as we speak (well ... read) ... the work in progress is sitting in our "shampoo alcove" ... cool huh?!! Mike's creation. I told you - these guys are quite talented.

With cautious optimism ...

DAY 3 of bath renovation.

I can't say it's been horrible. It has been a touch inconvenient - and as liberating as it may be to have a reason to trot around the yard in my birthday suit (we have a very private back yard) showering with the kitchen faucet - I'm ready for an honest-to-goodness long, hot, steamy shower. I'm told that we'll be done by Monday ... hence the "cautious optimism." Who would have thought that anyone besides Ty Pennington could pull off a job like this. Mike and Brandon ... kudos to you guys ... you're the best!

Today's progress:

Just to keep me honest and remind me that this is suppose to be a knitting blog ... I have been working on this:

Pattern: Basic Sock Recipe by the Yarn Harlot

Yarn from Sockpixie

Size 2 needles

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can push this project over the finish line for the Ravelympics ; )