Christmas Happenings

Here is Stephen when we attended the Moscow Ballet's "Nutcracker" We went to the Flint Center this year. I saw them one time before at Chabot and really liked them. This year they weren't as good. I think next year we will go watch Oakland Ballet"s "Nutcracker", when I saw them a few years ago they were great.

I had a quiet Christmas this year. My oldest DD and her family we not able to make it up here from Southern California so it was just us and my younger DD and her family. They didn't come over until around 4:00 so we really had a quiet day. It was nice, though, I was able to relax and enjoy myself.

I recieved the first ever yarn related gift from my youngest DD. She gave me this

Amazon.com: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting Workshop DVD: DVD: Elizabeth Zimme

and this

Amazon.com: Knitting Lace with Meg Swansen: DVD: Meg Swansen,Cully Swansen

and I have been happily watching them and learning from them. Yesterday I was able to knit in the round with 5 needles using two different colors of yarn to make a pattern in a little hat I am making for afghans for Afghans - Campaign. It was great fun! I showed Stephen when he got home from work, but he didn't seem to be too impressed. Of course I need to RIP it because I but the design too close to the ribbing, but at least I was doing it. I am also going to finally make a Pi shawl. I have had the yarn and have wanted to make one for years, but could never make the beginning cast on. Now that I have seen Elizabeth make Emily Ocker's crocheted cast on I think I can do it. I just need to get all my supplies together.

I am off until the 2nd and have been busy getting caught up with cleaning and knitting. I want to sew a couple of aprons for my classroom. I want to turn the dramatic play area into a restaurant for the kids and the cooks will need aprons. I also have to make some menus and a sign for it. It is just a matter of getting started and then I will get it done. Maybe today.

I did a little shopping yesterday. I am always amazed at how uncrowded the stores are during the week. I usually don't get the chance to shop then because I am at work. It seemed funny to be there on a Thursday morning. I bought some things for the house a dirty clothes basket for Patrick and a chest for Stephen's games I also saw what I am going to get my youngest DD for her birthday, now I just need to go back and get it. I usually send flowers, but I think she will like this instead. I hope so at least.

That's about all. Take care and be nice to each other.

Ramblings for a Monday Evening

Here is a bad picture of Da and Zoe sitting on the bed, eating pizza and watching Shrek the Third. She spent the weekend and we all had a pretty good time. She came in on Sunday morning and woke us up, I still haven't forgiven her for that one. LOL. I think the only reason she comes over is because we have cable. But, I can't prove that one. So, I probably should be quiet about it.

Speaking of grandchildren, I just found out my 10 year old grandson made the honor roll. A very proud grandmother is sitting here writing this. What a great job he did!

Well, we spent all of last week getting our room ready for the review. I mean my co-teacher Tawana and I cleaned it from top to floor getting all the areas ready and in order. We busted our butts for three days. They (the review team) are here (they come from all over the country) and were at another site today and are supposed to be at ours tomorrow. I sure will be glad when this is over and we can get back to the job of teaching.

We had four days off work, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. What did I do all four days? I cleaned. As though I didn't get enough of it at work, I spent my days off doing the same thing. I cleaned the hall closet, got rid of almost everything in there. Well, not really, just the cross stitch stuff. I don't do it anymore and I am going to send it to the reservation so they can have it. Hopefully they can use it up there. There is bound to be someone who cross stitches.

After I finished the closet I actually tackled the sewing room. What I found out, and this came as a surprise to me, was that we really do have a floor in there. I was truly amazed. I had Stephen take the doors off the closet in there and I will hang curtains because it makes it is easier to see what is in there. I had to buy 5 more crates to hold all of the yarn and it still did do it. I have it in baskets in the hall closet, in a large basket here in the computer room, in baskets on book shelves in the sewing room and some in bags in the bedroom. But, at least it is organized better and I can see what I have and can get to it easier. Now if I just had the time to knit it all.

I still need to go through the stuff that I am sending to the reservation and get it boxed up. I want it out of here ASAP. Before I change my mind. I look at it and remember how much fun I used to have cross stitching and collecting all of the fabrics, thread and kits. But, I just don't do it anymore. I really am trying to down size so that when we do move it will be easier.

What am I working on now. A very pink baby blanket for Tawana's grand daughter who is due in February. I have several other projects in the works which I will list after I finish going through them. One of the things I did this weekend was to go through some UFOs (unfinished objects) and decide that I would never finish some of them so I rewound the yarn and will use it for something else.

The blanket has become one I seem to make a lot. It is my own recipe and I find it very easy to do. Using WW yarn and appropriate needles (I use a US9) I cast on 150 stitches. I then garter stitch 12 rows. Then I k10, k10, p10,k10,p10,k10,p10,k10,p10,k10,p10,k10,p10,k10,k10. On the next row I do just the opposite: k10,p10,k10 and so on always keeping the first and last 10 stitches on each row in garter stitch for a border. I do this for 12 rows. Then I take another color yarn (usually varigated) and garter stitch for 6 rows. I then use the first color yarn and repeat the first part. I continue working in this way until it is as long as I want it and then I finish with a 12 row garter stitch border. I hope this makes sense, if not please feel free to contact me and I will try to help you.

OK, I am going to go pack up the stuff I am sending to the reservation, read some things that I need to refresh myself on for work and get some knitting done. Take care and be nice to each other.