Award! Its a good day!

Jenny Girl at Two Crazy Knit Chicks has given me a Butterfly Award! She (and Suzy Girl) are awesome knitters and bloggers. One of the best things about blogging and knitting is getting to know amazing people I otherwise would never have the chance to meet and I am so pleased to have met both Jenny and Suzy. I would totally give them an award if they hadn't given it to me. You should totally go check their blog out if you haven't before.

This is a “meme” award, so it gets passed on. The rules for passing it on are:

1. Put the logo on your blog.

2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.

3. Award up to ten other blogs.

4. Add links to those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message for your awardees on their blogs.

Okay so now I have to pick some blogs. Obviously I read a LOT of blogs. So this is the difficult part. Also even though I think a bunch of people are really awesome and cool and would nominate everyone everytime I don't like to just pick the same people over and over. Today I've decided that I am nominating five blogs that I think are totally cool.

So here goes:

Tami of SquiggiKnits - She's an awesome knitter and her blog is home to Cinnamon (boxer), Booboo (Labmation), and Squiggi and the Troublepuss (both cats). Cinnamon is a heart breaker. Seriously cute.

Sharon of HolyKnitBalls - Another awesome knitter with pets. If you think I knit quickly you should see how quickly she whips up gorgeous sweaters.

Cynthia at Big_Girl Feet - I sent her stuff for SP12 and I was so happy to meet her. She is an awesome designer and artist. A fantastic knitter and of course Mom to a really cute dog and at least one cat. If you are a fan of ScoutJ you'll see that she is also the Cynthia behind the monthly background calendars.

Bullwinkle at Out of Yarn - Ok I just found her blog today. She's a longtime reader and I kept trying to link to her profile only to find a blog that was never updated. Turns out she blogs on typepad. I've been checking her archives and finding lovely projects, cute animals (of course) and an excellent voice (hopefully you understand what I mean by that because I don't know how else to describe it.)

and last but not least

Dee of Tangled Up In Sticks and Strings - Gardening, Cross-stitch, Knitting (man does she fly through socks!), and cooking all rolled into one. She's always working on something beautiful and functional. She's also a daily (or almost) poster so you will always find something awesome and new happening on her blog.

So those are my picks. There are a lot more I'd love to nominate of course. If you weren't picked on my list its not because you don't belong there. All my friends rock of course.

Finally this evening we are feeling the need to conserve space. Well really just the bulldogs are. If you have a nice big mat why use it up all at once? I'm pretty sure we can fit eight bulldogs on this mat. And if we don't mind if they sit on each others feet we might manage to get twelve.

On the not conserving space side there is this girl. She will hiss at you and slap you silly if you try to take any of her mat. Just ask Gus he knows.

By the way, the carpets/rugs in each photo are new additions pulled from our storage closets because Abby can't walk on wood or tile. Too slippery. Pretty much she is screwed around our house without the addition of these. So we dragged them out of storage. Abby is feeling alright. Shes got a small spot on her knee that was bleeding earlier which if it continues will be concerning, but I suspect that she scraped a scab when she fell over earlier. I talked with Dr Cooper this morning and he assured me that while she is not healing as quickly this time she is actually ahead of schedule again. Most dogs won't even put that foot down the way she has been. So that is encouraging news. He said he would be concerned if she has not started walking/putting pressure on it before three weeks from now. So holding steady. Hopefully all the rest she's getting will make it quickly heal.

Afternoon Nap

Abby wasn't pleased to be woken back up.

Gus wasn't pleased to have been sleeping at all. (Though he was a lot less Grumpy for having done it.)

What woke them up?

The bird flying in the window right above their heads. Likely a cardinal as that has been what we've been seeing in the backyard lately. 20 or 25 of them at any one time in the last few days. This is about the angle that it hit too. Notice the trees are wonky. This guy wasn't flying straight. This was hard enough not only to leave feathers, but to knock a bird out for a good 5 minutes. I thought I'd be picking up a body from the yard the way the window shook. This same sort of thing (hopefully different birds because I can't imagine this happening to just one bird) happened a dozen times this afternoon. Each time they were startled awake and barking. Mostly it was Gus that was barking and it was pissing Abby off. Hopefully if you got an afternoon nap it went better then theirs!

(Abby update: She's standing properly on that foot as long as I make her step down properly first. Otherwise she'll try and balance with those toes bent backwards. So thats progress from yesterday at least. I have a feeling that she tried to step totally down on it and it hurt and she's remembering that. It took us a MILLION years to get her to chew on things again after the mouth issues because chewing hurt so much for so long. So I suspect that when she finally realized it doesn't kill her to stand on it, then we'll be off and running. She's already looking hopeful about taking a walk again.)

homes from hopital

***WARNING: There are stitches pictures below. If you don't want to see them don't scroll down too far. They aren't really very bad though!***

Hi dis Abbys. Mom's say you guys so so goods to me. You sends good wishys and drools. For Guses too. I tanks you lots. I loves you all!

I homes from hopital now. Its goods. I misses eveybody. Docor Parker and Docor Cooper good docors. I gets goods treatsments. They shave my butt . It cold. This times I have lots pains. LOTS pains. Too slippy to stands tiles, but grass not bads. Oh mans does it hurts dough. I can'ts even stands up rights! Mom give me good meds make feel betters. I likes home.

I has so muchs pains, Moms make Dad goes back pet stores. Buy good wets food she can feed me spoons. I likes this. Spoiled Mom says. I don't stand though, feels SO SO SO muches beter. I ready for naps. I curls up next Mom. Gets pets and cuddles and goes sleeps. I loves you guyes! Thank yous for the good wish!

Obviously Abby girlie is home. She's not healing quite as quickly this time, and she definitely feeling it more, but we weren't expecting it to go so quickly twice. She's still better then she could be. The thing I'm most concerned about is this stance.

I'm afraid she'll try and put pressure on it when she squats to potty or when she's standing and hurt that foot or ankle or whatever. We're going to be very careful with that. My second concern is her other leg while this one heals. I think we'll be making her be very careful for a couple of weeks and very much limiting her activity. At least until she's willing to walk semi-properly on that leg again.

They seem to have had a harder time with the shaving. She's got these scratches on her legs. I'm wondering if it was because the skin was dryer due to all our cold weather. The scabs are already starting to fall off so we can tell these are very shallow. Tomorrow we'll start putting triple anti-biotic ointment (Neosporin) on it in hopes of healing the outside quicker and cleaner. Maybe getting less scar tissue too. We've decided not to mess with it tonight though. Give her a break. I'm sure they've been poking and proding her for the last couple of days and she'll be tired of it.

Gus was really happy she was home again. He was trying to be helpful and say hello when I brought her in and mostly he was just in the way. But I sympathized with him and let him "help", I know how much he missed her. Sadly they are still mostly separated because when he got in the crate with her he tried to sit on her leg accidentally and that's not an accident we want to happen. When he's calmer about her being home we'll let him in to say hello.

Greening

Ironically a project named after Spring is brought to you by this

and this

Which by mid-day were totally dry, but by then its not worth my driving in to work. So I worked from home all day. So I was home during the day in sunshine the day after I finished these socks. How convienient for blogging purposes is that? I'm finding it awesome frankly.

Pattern: Greening by Me. My standard sock recipe adjusted for Koigu and a foot slightly larger then mine (I think anyway we are going to find out...) (my ravelry project)
Materials: Nearly two whole skeins of Koigu in Green Meadow (P525) dyelots 76 and 79.
Made for: Sekrit Person
Needle: US#1.5 Addi Turbos 40"
Start Date: 14 December 2008
Completion Date: 27 January 2009
Size: Bigger then my usual socks, smaller then Chris socks.

Notes: Anyone else noticed the green theme with this years finished projects so far?? Shivering anyone? What else can I make that is green?

So I complained about striping and pooling and seeing the socks together I notice the pooling really well on the heel on the sock above, but in general they look really close if you just look and don't stare. I'm pretty pleased with my results despite the different dyelots. Another thing about the different dyelots bugs me though. I thought I might like the same dyelot for any leftover yarn. Such that if I make a scrap sock or a block in a blanket or etc there wouldn't be any divide in the dyelots. So I used what was left of the first skien for the toe of the second sock. I almost RAN OUT OF YARN at the end of that second sock. So not only was that skein short by the toe amount but really twice the toe amount because if some was left over from the first shouldn't some have been left over from the second? So glad I made it though. Ripping back the ribbing I'm super fond of wouldn't have gone well with me.

Thirty-five rows of 2x1 ribbing. Love 2x1 ribbing. Inordinately fond of 2x1 ribbing. I haven't really got a reason why, I just do. It makes me happier then 1x1 or 2x2. So I wanted to keep doing it and ended up with a LOT of rows. I'm happy with that. And that a lot of rows didn't make me run out of yarn.

I did a toe-up heel flap inspired by the one from the prickly pear socks. I really like what this does for space at the heel. I think it will be appreciated.

These are of course just my plain jane knit in the car type socks, but once I get past the heel on the second sock they speed right though. Its like instead of second sock syndrome I have speed sock syndrome. I'm ready to see the end and see the finished project and I make it so the end is right there. Binding off. Finished. Done. I'm happy to be really pleased with this one since I'm expecting it will be going to someone else soonish. Well if it actually fits. I sort of guessed on size.

Now for some reason, as usual, actually I have procrastinated posting about this all afternoon. I still don't know what my problem with finishing things is. (By the way you haven't missed the wedding shawl. I still haven't blocked it. At least if blocking happens at the last minute it won't kill anything. It would be finishing at the last minute that would be bad. I guess my procrastinating on that can be called keeping something in the wedding a surprise for my parents...) Maybe someday I can get a grip on that, but I sort of doubt it. I guess in my brain once I am finished with a project I am totally done (except for wearing it) and so I shouldn't need to talk about it anymore but of course you guys want to see things so I need to talk about it.

Right now I am sitting on Gus' mat while he sleeps curled into my side. We are making it through the last day without Abby. Its only hours now until she comes home and I think all of us are missing her so so much, but especially Gus. He's been bored today without her. He'll be happy to have her back tomorrow I think. I might even get to spend less time on the floor.

Missng?

Hi dis Gus. Any bodys seen Abby? I can'ts find her. Mom's came home and lets me free crates. I looks evy wheres. No ABBYS! No wheres! Dad tooks her this morning and nows she's tolly gone! I misses my Abbys. Dad not homes yet, maybe he brings her homes soon? I go looks gain. She has be here some wheres.

Miss Abigails surgery went well this morning. We got a call at lunch time saying she was awake and seemingly feeling fine. Her bionic knee looks good. Hopefully she'll be as well healed when I bring her home Thursday as she was the last time. Thursday seems a long way off. I feel Gus' pain.

Right now I am home from work early. I am staying out of the freezing rainy icy weather, hanging with Gus (who's grunting at me to get done already and help him find Abby) and working on finishing my sock. I have about 10 rows to go and the greening socks will be done. More stuff to the Etsy shop tonight too. (ETA: This etsy thing takes forever. I've added 5 or so more things tonight and a ton last night and the night before and I still have 18 more things I've taken images of and a bunch that I haven't. I like that I'm buckling down and doing it though. I have to stop for the night because the lights keep flickering and I'm seriously hoping we don't loose power, but I'd hate to be in the middle of something and have them go out. Guess I should post this part before even that doesn't work!)

Gus gets Abby's attention

Dear Anonymous. I will be happy to reserve that clover bag for you if you leave me your name/etsy name.

It all starts with a look. "What you have???"

Then she realizes its good. Must go get da bone!

"He's not even pwaying wit it. I has that?"

Caught. Down. "Mans. I was sos sos close to its!"

She got a new weasel toy instead and I am sitting in the crate with her while Gus is still on the outside wanting in. Jealousy works both ways around here I guess. He can't come in or they'll start playing tug and playing too hard for that weasel. So he's got to stay out until the weasel goes up. He's got a Parmesan cheese container anyway.

Also Abby was cold at dinner time. Who doesn't dine in a blanket? She was seriously shivery. Today it is chilly and rainy.

Partially Right

Well Abby has it partially right. We're disappointed she'll have to have more surgery. That she'll have to be "crated" for another three week period. Its very hard on a very active dog to have that happen. We aren't disappointed in her. I feel really bad for her. Yes its a hit on the bank account, but I didn't rush off to make bags yesterday to pay for her surgery. In truth we've sort of been expecting it since just about everyone that heard she had the first done let us know that they ended up having to do both on their dog. I did crate them for the afternoon so that Abby wouldn't feel bad that Gus had free reign of the bottom floor of the house to pick a sleeping spot. This way they are stuck in the same situation.

(Clover bag. Love this fabric!)

However I did take my free afternoon and work in my sewing room. A bit over a month ago, or maybe even a bit more then that, Carolyn suggested that I "UPDATE YOUR SHOP" (maybe a little less emphatically; that's a link by the way.), I took her suggestion to heart and started working on stuff for a big update. The shop has been so sadly neglected these last few months when I've been so busy. Every chance I've had recently I've been working on stuff to post. There are some bags, including more sock monkeys, lots of stitch markers, some lavender sachets, a few skeins of yarn (which photographed incredibly badly) and a roving or two (which also photographed badly). I still have a bunch of bags that are partially done and some I haven't managed to take pictures of yet. I'm going to start loading things tonight right after I post this and probably do a bit more throughout the week. ***I managed to upload a bunch of bags, some markers, and a couple of sachet pairs. I still have a ton of those things left to post though. This is such a slow process. None of the stuff pictured here has made it in yet. *** Hopefully I can finish and photograph the rest of the bags next weekend.

(Unnamed green yarn. I need to hold the real yarn up against this image and make sure it came out right before I post it to the shop.)

The biggest thing about this update is that everything had to come from inside the house. I didn't allow myself to buy anything. I knew I already had a lot of great stuff and it was time to work with some of it. I'm working down my fabric stash, bead stash, etc. You'll see some one of kinds in the shop (for stuff I have one fat quarter or maybe less) and some old favorite fabrics. Plus all the yarn is of course one of a kind.

(Lavender sachet. Great for hanging over a hanger or setting in your yarn containers. Moths hate this stuff.)

Abby wants to add... Tanks you guys! You do helps a girlie out! I feels better knowing you guys think I ok still and no body dispointed (not evens moms). I don't understands whys I still haves stay in crates if no body dispointed though and I not a bad dogs. :( P.S. Hi Wilmas, Starrs, Beawrs (I know you reading. Even if not say hi. I hopeses that you stills likes me, I loves you!), and every doggy else I forgets your names!

ughh...dis really really bads...

Hi dis Abbys. You remembers me? I hopes so. I not guess bogger. I hijack bog. I takes own pictures so you sees how bads I feel.

I have BIGS problems. Oh mans so so bads. You helps a girlie outs? Maybe nots so bads if you on my side. Mom dispointed. Dad too, but know mom sure cause she says "Oh Abby girlie, what we do with you?" I wants say go backyard play soccer. I spect not right answer, so's I keeps mouth shuts. I wants play soccer though. I LOVE soccer. I off topic toos. I tells you what happens.

So's couples days go, rights? I hurts my knee. I play with Gussy, or in backyard, or be crazy running in house, I can'ts remembers. I not tells no body. Not even Gussy. No body know. Moms takes me walks yesterday and she say I acts funny. I not tell her feel funny. Yesday nights she say "Chris, Abby's limping again. I think she hurt other leg." Man, how she knows? I not act pains at all. I still jumps stuff and still runs. I be NORMALS. Like a GOOD dog. Man.

Todays we go Vet. He say relax. Gives me shot (spensive...wow...geez...). Vet make me sleepy. He plays my knee. Says bad bad bad jobs. He says this time severe right ACL. I think same thing I did other leg. Means surgy. Bad Bad Bad dogs. What a girl to do's though? I crazy, but think it gentic. I think born crazy. I has surgy Tueday. Mean times I haves stay in this thing. Bleh. It sucks big. Punishments for bad doggy crazy hurts knee I thinks. Gussy at least spend times with me. Oh yeahs, cepts he doesn't wants too. I barf on him this morning. He think gross and get out crates. He forgets soons I hopes. I lonely when Gus not with me.

Mom makes go beds in crates this afternoon so she can go sew some bags. I thinks she wants sell some. How spensive surgy? Twice surgy cause I had surgy in Novmbers too. Oh mans...

You not dispointed in me toos?

Striping?

I don't think it shows up as clearly in the photograph as it does sitting on my kitchen table but this second dyelot of Koigu is self striping at 60 stitches (yes the striping goes all the way around the sock). I've never seen Koigu stripe. What's weirder (not that I really care but its so so weird and its not in the photo because the photo was taken earlier in the day) when I am increasing in the gusset it is POOLING. I thought Koigu was one of those yarns that did not pool or stripe or do anything but be different on most every row. So I'm curious if anyone else has seen this happen before? (Pictures of pooling tomorrow.)

More sock

I finished sock one last night and this morning started sock two. Its coming along quite well as we all (colleagues) drove to lunch today so I was a passenger for two decent drives and got a lot of knitting time in. The choosen restaurant wasn't anywhere near my office. Its hard to tell in the photos but there are definitely a lot more brown tones in the second skein of Koigu. Since I'm pretty sure I bought different dyelots this doesn't really surprise me that much. Not that I've ever though hand knit socks had to match exactly anyway. I'm off to go knit some more and maybe play a game or two of fetch and tug.

Decision

I've reached a conclusion. I really really want to redo Christmas gift one. I'm just really unhappy with the final result and I can't convince myself that I'm not. So its getting frogged and reknit. This has caused me to reevaluate when all the gifts will be given. By the time its frogged and reknit and I get Christmas present 3 finished it will be almost too late to use them in my area of the country. So I think I'm going to say these are planning ahead works and say I am ahead for Christmas 2009 by one gift already. Seems really to be the only way to go.

In the mean time I found this picture of Abby and Gus from a year ago. I think Gus is pretty much the same. Abby looks chubbier here but I know she's about the same weight. Maybe a pound or less more here in the image. I guess its just the angle. To answer a comment question, Gus is four months shy of two years old and Abby is four months shy of three years old.

Look a sock!

I know this is so exciting. I'm actually knitting something you can see! I'm back to working on my greening socks. I got the gusset, the heel flap and part of the leg done in the last two days. (I knit during my dentist appointment today. Sometimes its nice when you don't have to look at it at all.) I really love how Koigu knits. Its soft and sproingy. Probably my second favorite, with Smooshy as the first. Also the colors on either just can't be beat.

I'm thinking/debating about the third Christmas gift. I think its going to take SUBSTANTIAL time so I think its going to end up being a gift for next Christmas and the recipient will get something else this year. Since they don't know who they are I'm hoping they won't be disappointed. Maybe I'll knit something for them that is less substantial?

I don't understand why these animal photos are grainy. I took them this weekend so there was decent light. I'm thinking I might have had the ISO set really high because that seems to do this sort of thing. The socks were taken at 3200 tonight in the light from the spotlights over the sink. I thought they came out alright. I usually take stuff between 200 and 400, depending on how overcast things are. Also depending on whether I am inside or outside. I think the grainy happens because I let too much light in. Or maybe I was at 200 and it happened because I didn't let more light in? I'll have to play around with this and see what I think.

Here is Gus in the sunshine. I love these photos despite the grainy. He's stolen Penny's spot and she was PISSED. That is an excellent spot for afternoon sunshine and there really aren't any others that can be gotten to easy. AKA you have to get up in a chair and Gus can't do that for himself despite how hard he tries. He tries to pull himself up with his front paws but his bottom is too heavy and its hard to stand on his back legs. You can see he wasn't too happy with me disturbing his nap to take pictures.

And this is how my Abby girlie feels about taking walks. All excitement and super happy. Thats how a good puppy should look all the time I think. We took a really decent walk tonight. I was jogging and she was sprinting. Luckily my legs are longer then hers or I probably couldn't keep up.

Busy Evening

Thankfully its good stuff and not work tonight.

Raking

The dogs and I spent a good bit of the afternoon racking the yard. We didn't get enough done nor did we have the "proper" bags to get rid of it all. I knew it would take more then one day anyway. My arms are very tired at this point.

I am also almost finished with Christmas present two. Its about 20 rows (I think) from the end. Hopefully tonight I'll finish it! Also Chris and I have been betting on the football games. We pick the winners each week and the one with the most right gets a 30 minute massage/back rub from the other. So far I've won them all. I feel like I should give him a back rub out of kindness. (I've already won this week. I picked Arizona over Philadelphia. Man was that a tough choice. Chris picked Philadelphia. We both picked Pittsburgh.)

Abby wasn't necessarily happy that "playing" in the backyard meant working and not soccer. Plus she decided to take off the red thing and eat it so we are just hoping she doesn't do any damage to herself until it is replaced.

Orange

I'm doing a "Yarn Harlot" inspired stuff post today becasue I have a lot of stuff to discuss that is random.

1. I can't remember if I ever commented on this but I'm in agreement that Laci is a bit creepy. She's currently dressed in a magenta lacy bra/panty set (which we bought at TJ MAXX last weekend so at least it was very on sale because there is no way it will fit me) with a frilly nearly sheer summer top. That's it. Its a little disconcerting to see a nearly naked woman in the house sometimes.

2. I wanted to thank everyone that left a comment recently. I've been so busy lately I don't think I've answered a comment all year until this morning. (Isn't it funny to say it as "all year". It sounds so much longer then that really is.) I answered a bunch with questions or observations, but a lot of them I just read and archived because it was too overwhelming. So I'm blanketing everyone with a thank you. I always a appreciate comments even when you are telling my Laci creeps you out.

3. Whats on my needles? I currently have a Christmas present which is about 2/3 or a bit more finished. A single green sock that I am about an inch from starting the heel on. Also hanging about is the shawl which hasn't yet been blocked. I haven't exactly found the time let alone the foam boards to get it blocked. Soon though I hope. Christmas present 1 also needs blocking or reknitting. Seriously considering that... I'm just not as pleased with it as I'd hoped. Especially when I love the second present so much better.

4. Thanks for all the comments on Gus' sweater. He's still very much in love with it. I think I need to make him one that will cover his hips, but then he'd have to take it off to go outside. So maybe not. Abby's is in the planning stages. I totally agree that she needs a ruffle or something. She's so girlie. Thinking about figuring out how the ruffles are made on the just enough ruffles scarf and trying to incorporate that sort of thing into the hem.

5. Wedding things are moving forward. I had my fitting today. We also stopped at the ring place and picked up the rings. Then we managed to find an awesome necklace for my sister, Isidore, for her dress. Still looking for one for Kitzy. (Are my bridesmaids Kitzy and Izzy? hehe) They have different dresses and I thought it would be nice for them to have the different necklaces that reflect them a bit more and also flatter the different dresses. This week I have to call the florists, call the tuxedo place in Albuquerque, call the resort to organize a couple more things, and try and finish things up. Its getting so close! Oh! The other big wedding thing? The wedding planner from the resort is "no longer with the company". (I think she was fired.) This makes me so so happy. She was really bad at her job, but the new girl? She's awesome. She wants to answer questions and help organize and coordinate and is all those things that you think a wedding planner should be. Thats going to make the last bit of getting things done easier I think.

6. Things should be getting back to normal soon. I hope.

Traveling Wheel

Chris was very kind about the spinning wheels. He actually got me two. The second is a Lendrum DT Complete. It arrived the 5th and I got to try it out that night but then I haven't had a chance since.

A folding traveling wheel. I seriously doubt I'll ever take it anywhere, but Chris wasn't confident that a folding wheel should be my only wheel so that's why I have the Ashford Traditional too.

I like them both. But there are some very definite things I like about each over the other. I'm really fond of the double treadle on Lendrum. I think I'll be getting one of those for the Traditional. I'm really fond of the hooks which don't require threading the yarn through that the Traditional has. I don't think I can change that about the Lendrum though. I've been trying to spin the same roving on both wheels. So far I've done half on the Lendrum.

I've also done a bit of the second half on the traditional but no picture of that yet. I'm figuring I can ply them together when I am done. I like how both spin once I get going, but I find the Lendrum far easier to keep the wheel moving. I think that is the double treadle. It requires less foot coordination. Which I appear to be lacking in my right foot. Also I've been sitting sideways at the traditional because in order to keep it going I have to treadle with my left foot and its meant for a right foot. I think the sideways sitting is making it harder to draft in an even manner because I am reaching across myself. Definitely need the double treadle. I'll probably be ordering that kit.

So right now I am more fond of the Lendrum, but I think I could like them equally well once I have the double treadle on the Traditional.

Day before a final deadline...

Where am I?
Gus knows.

Its another one of those days

Happily I actually do have a knitting picture for you! The second Christmas present. I like it so much more then the first I am very tempted to knit the first present over. (Which would make that about the 8th try for that...)

I am at best a third of the way in and at worst a fourth. I'll wait to see until I've gotten a good bit to decide how big it should ultimately be. Oh! And if for some reason you recognize the pattern please don't let it out in the comments. I wouldn't want to give anything away!

I love Abby

Why you ask? Well for the obvious reasons but today there is also this bright blue sky taken out the moon roof of the mini...

And this? Yes that's Abby, but that thing she's looking at there in the distance? That's the sun. Not through my office windows but in real life right there while I am driving. On the way home before its dark and the moon has risen and the stars are out and all traffic has ceased to be on the road...who knew I could actually appreciate traffic??

Well truthfully I'm not driving during any of these photos. These were all taken at stop lights along the way. She's very intent about the whole business of driving. She even likes being buckled in (thank goodness because I insist on it.) The vet is a good distance from the house so we get a lot to look at. She likes to look at the people we pull up alongside so I try very hard to drive on the left if I'm not going too slow so she can look out her window and people watch. Just as long as the window is closed. She doesn't really like open windows except the moon roof when we go over the lake (imagine that? Fish smell good...)

The last 10 minutes were sleepy though. She was ready to be home and take a rest from the journey. Chris dropped her off at the vet this morning and I had to pick her up on the way home, its directly on my way, so I had to leave early enough to get there before they closed. She's got more staff infection dots on her stomach and legs again with yeast infections on top of those spots. Yuck. Thought we'd killed it all. Guess not.

The other reason I really really really love my sick, best dog ever, girlie puppy? I just got a call about a half hour ago from my colleague who does what I do at my company. (Yes there are only two of us that can do what we do. Sometimes its plenty, sometimes obviously it feels short handed.) He wanted my passwords so he could run stuff on my computer as well as his. Apparently something blew up 15 minutes after I left. The blue sky, sunshine, and happy dog in the car were enough to make me love my baby girlie, but really when the prize is that I don't work an extra 4 or 5 hours tonight? Well that deserves something really special...

(Don't worry they both got some. I have to melt them in the microwave and then mix them with their dry food or Gus will eat the whole thing at once. These things are the size of those little blue bell cups of ice cream too. So like half a cup. In his mouth at once. Then he tries to eat Abby's. Its much easier to melt it a bit first...)

What's keeping me busy this evening

I lost this needle and it was gone for like a month. I found it again. Then lost it again that same day and now it is back and ready for knitting. I'm being extra careful not to loose it again.

Its being paired with this yarn for Christmas present number 2. I frankly didn't have time today to take a picture of the project so I guess I will save that for another post. But the yarn is very pretty black/gray.

I don't know how fast this project is going to get done as I seem to have pulled a muscle in my upper arm. Feels absolutely awful. Also I am stuck at work yet again, so that is not helping my mood. At least my book is good.

The weekend

Its been a really good weekend. Yesterday Chris and I spent all morning scrubbing down the house, cleaning up the Christmas decorations, and generally getting the house nice and shiny. The rugs seem to need a vacuum again (I've noticed that in the past too. We have a BIG time shedder in this house named Gus) but I'm really pleased with the cleanness of everything. Then we drove into North Dallas (about an hour or so away) and went wedding ring shopping. Mine is absolutely gorgeous. We've been working with a jeweler for our rings (engagement and wedding) and she was really helpful yesterday. We aren't getting matching bands and Chris was having a hard time finding what he wanted (the image in his head) and she suggested that we could purchase a particular band and she would reshape it for him. So he's getting a custom job. Which I think is really cool. Another thing checked off the list.

This morning I finished the first Christmas present. I like how it turned out except that there is a bit of rolling I'm hoping will go away when its been blocked. I think I've finally settled on a pattern for the next present. I'm going to cast on again tonight and hopefully I'll have enough done by tomorrow around lunch that I can have something to show for myself tomorrow. (I'll just have to remember to bring my camera to work.)

Today we went out to lunch. The lady that served us was a bit of an airhead. She brought out two drinks for Chris and then forgot the appetizer he ordered. When our meals got there Chris suggested to her that we could just have a desert instead of the forgotten appetizer. The manager brought over the appetizer in a to go box and told us it and dessert were on the house. The appetizer is currently in the fridge since obviously we didn't eat it. Hopefully its still tasty after hanging out in the car all afternoon while Chris and I were shopping.

I just got in from Abbys walk. When we left Gus looked like this. I would call it hopeful yet distressed. He knew he wasn't going to get to go. Stupid hip. He got to take a nice walk to the mailbox, without a leash (something Abby isn't allowed to do), and to smell every inch of the yard while Abby watched us jealously through the window. Hopefully that made up for it.

RED

(Hopefully regular blogging will begin again tomorrow...)

I'm not at work tonight

Which is something to talk about entirely. However I don't much feel like being on my computer either given that I worked an extra six hours today on top of the extra evenings this week and I've been on the computer all day everyday except for time to sleep all week. So its short and sweet and named Penelope tonight.

three guess where I am this evening...

(If you are completely flummoxed the answer is at work...)

(Apparently yesterday was post 600. Thats a lot.)

slipping in under the wire...

Mom! What you do? We sleepsings!

Working Late Again

I just got home from work. So its a quick post night because its already sort of late (for me anyway...)

I'm trying to finish up knitting I can't show really fast because wouldn't it be nice to have some knitting on my knitting blog? Work on something you can see for a change? Yeah I think so too.

Achy (Mom write that)

Hi everbody! It Gussy! Mom say i gest bogger nite! I so excited says hi to you! I not feels good nites. Its misbrle colds outsides. Rainys and wets and colds colds colds. Makes hurts hips. Yesday not wet but still colds. I not want walk leg yesday, today not want walk or stands at all. See i not put leg down. Hurt to touches floors. She know hip hurt yesday cause i scream it when try stand after nap in chair. She try help hold up hips but still hurts.

Mom says i has no hip socks socts and i has factshures and artyritis. The artyritis is wors. Real bad cold days makes hips hurts. She say rite side is wors den lefts. I have chewing good times only. Play tugs lay down. No runs! No walking! Yuck bads. I have meds make pains totally away, but not get dose often. Mom says i have to know i hurts so i not run round like crazy mans. Or chickens with heads. I also have meds for anti-flame-tory (or somding). I gets dose more oftns. Specilly when colds outsides or has limps. I likes meds. I get marsh mellos. yums!! Mom calls meds, but tase yums! I goes plays chewing now. Loves, Gussy.

PS. Dis Abbys!! I helps Gus out tonight. Mom spills part dinner on floor. I eat all. Well she clean fast too. Sads, not realls eat all. But! Gus not have get up if I eat all. I'm a good puppy! I help out and Gus not have stands!!!

PPS. Gus got some treats from the stuff I dropped. Its not totally unfair around here...

Shivering I

Gus' sweater is just about finished. He looks good. Its none too soon either as its gotten chilly again.

Pattern: Shivering of my own design (my ravelry project). I'm going to make one for Abby and try and put together a little recipe if I can figure out a way to make it that way. It is definitely a custom fit garment.
Materials: 1.2 skeins YarnPig Tweed Sock in the colorway Twilight, .5 skein Rowan RYC Cashsoft 4-ply in the colorway fennel overdyed in a deeper green to match the Twilight yarn.
Made for: Gus
Needle: US#6 Addi Turbos 40"
Start Date: 23 November 2008
Completion Date: 4 January 2009
Size: Custom Fit for Gus

Its sort of hard to tell but the sweater has one arm and just the opening on the other side. So this side has no buttons or openings. I thought a side opening sweater might be easiest to put on him. So as I was knitting I just left a giant hole for his arm and picked up stitches to knit a little bit of a ribbing around it.

The only thing left is to actually secure the buttons. Right now they are just really lightly sewn on and "knotted" with a bow in the back so that I can work on where he needs them placed so it fits best. I already know that his shoulder button will need to be placed into the collar a bit more. Right now he looks like he's wearing an off the shoulder sweater.

Also I wasn't planning to use the pink buttons but didn't have any more like this on hand. I'll be trading those out. He is a boy after all. The toggle idea I originally had didn't work because once I had the toggles they were too light for the sweater and just looked funky. I love the idea of colored buttons though. The biggest issue with fixing the buttons will be getting it off him. He grumps like you wouldn't believe when I try and remove it. (Pretty sure my dogs are spoiled? Not totally sure how that happened.)

It ended up being a stripey sweater because I didn't think two skeins of sock yarn (so I could hold them double) would be enough to cover him. Clearly since I have just a bit less then a skein left two would have been plenty because I didn't start out with much of the dark green at all.

Abby wants one too. This one fits her but not really well. She's bigger around and longer then him. Her arm is also in a different place when thought of as the proportion of chest to back. He's really broad in the back and shoulders, she's more even. She's a cutie in it though.

She is jealous too. I think more from the attention he's getting as from his having the sweater. Here he is posing in the yard for me. (Yes this is posing. I ask him to "take picture" and he sets himself in a position. Its nice to have trained him to be good for the camera. I think I need to take him to Hollywood. He can't do anything else but he knows wiggle, take picture, and smile. What else do you need?)

Here he is twenty seconds later after she ran full speed from the fence into his back and pinned him with the collar.

Oh and this just cracked me up. She was posing in the kitchen for me and decided that she was done standing around while I clicked away. She had to go sit somewhere where her butt wouldn't get cold. She even took the time to push the backdoor mat around before she sat down but she was determined to sit. Wouldn't listen to commands at all.

PS: Ravelry yelled at me because I tried to post Gus' sweater into two different dog groups. They both have sweater threads for bulldogs and I've been in them for a while. I sent little messages to the moderators to let them know though cause apparently I must be spamming.

Just a glimpse...

BIG DOG

The big dog was acquired yesterday at a discount store. Its not a dog toy, but its found a new life as one...

As you can see Gus isn't disappointed with his new friend. As you can also see said new friend is Gus' size. Its more fun and challenging for him to beat up this toy. And for Abby. There was an added benefit that we hadn't really anticipated. Abby doesn't need her collar removed to hold it and suck on its nose like she likes. This is good as she can lay and do that without us having to keep an eye out for scratching and also for over licking her feet.

As for knitting, the Christmas gifts that were partially done are now not so done. It turned out that I wasn't pleased with any of them so they were ripped. I'm trying again. (The yarn is darker then this too.)

Looking backward and forward

I don't really make resolutions and I usually don't make goals that I want to look back and see if I accomplished. This year for lack of a better thing to publish here is a look backward and a look forward.

A look at the last year. (This mosaic thing took a lot of work because I actually had to go figure out what I knit last year since I didn't bother to make a "finished projects 2008" set before this morning. Then I thought I should put some info in each of the pictures included in the set. All over its taken me about 3 hours to get to this point. I'm doing some other flickr organizing too because stuff in my flickr thing is crazy messy. (Also if you click on this thing it takes you to flickr so that you can find a link to each individual project if you wanted...)

10 scarves
3 cowls
2 pairs mini mittens
3 hats
1 shawl
1 small sweater
16.5 pairs socks (the .5 is the sock for Bertha)
10 toys
1 pair leg warmers
1 doll hat
2 pillow covers
1 bikini
1 booties
.5 blanket (Lizard Ridge was started in 2007)
1 bag
2 calorimetry
1 kerchief
1 pair mitts
1 pair Penny socks

For a total of 58 finished projects. I'm sort of shocked that I knit 16.5 pairs of socks? Also 10 scarves but I guess that is a lot about knitting scarves for Chris. I'm also not including the unblocked, ends not woven in, wedding shawl since technically it is not finished.

So what is there to look forward too around here? These are things I'm planning. I don't know that I will have time to finish them all...

I'm trying for some big projects this year and not so many small ones, so I expect the number of finished projects to be a lot smaller then last year. Also these are only the things I already have planned so unplanned distractions may knock this totally on its ear.

1 Blanket (This could take a little while I think especially since it is planned but a pattern hasn't been chosen yet and yarn is not acquired yet.)
3 Christmas presents (for this last Christmas, as yet unfinished, but hopefully soon.)
4 scarves (2 because I have some patterns I would really like to knit for pretty lacy scarves and 2 because I'm assuming Chris will ask for a couple others)
1 pair leg warmers (I made Kitzy's but I still want some for me)
1 pair mittens (yay for cold weather on dog walks...)
10 pairs socks (I have an indecent amount of sock patterns and yarn that needs knitting, so I'm pairing them up and
plowing ahead. I won't need any socks after this year for a while I think. But then again I've already had three sock casualties due to holes, shrinking, and one pair felted accidentally by Chris. Two or three of these should be my own design. I have plans for them already in my head.)
4 shawls (This includes the wedding shawl I've finished knitting but haven't finished yet.)
1 sweater (maybe - I have yarn for one long-sleeved sweater, something like 2000 yards DK, I don't have a pattern yet though so I'll see if inspiration hits.)
1 Something with colorwork? Its been brought to my attention very recently that I haven't tried colorwork yet, so maybe this year would be a good time to remedy that. Until it was said out loud I hadn't even thought about having not done any...so there you go, put an idea in my head...

That will probably do it. Anything else or anything different is good too, but based on last year this doesn't seem like a list of things that would be impossible to finish.