My knitting needles are hot!

Only a few more things left to knit for Christmas!  These are the latest three, for Skylar on the left, and Elizabeth (purple with pink hearts) and Megan (pink with purple hearts).  Pretty simple Fair Isle hearts that turned out really well I think! 

I am going to knit the girls a matching scarf with the leftovers from the skeins.  I might knit the scarfs on size 32's, which are about the size of a broomstick!  Manly sized needles, that's right!

The Thanksgiving weekend turned out ok after all.  Sandy and I went down to Portland to my brother's surprise birthday party Friday and stayed in a hotel in the Rose Quarter.  Got up Saturday morning and shopped a bit at some of Sandy's favorite places.  She bought some pretty cool things downtown and then we went to Alberta Street for more shopping then headed north to have dinner at her sisters.  Today was a kid day and I had a nice visit with the kids.  Megan was ready with a Christmas wish list, the other two are not quite so organized! 



Thanksgiving delayed...

I know I have a lot to be thankful for, and a lot coming that I am already thankful for.  Today a staged miscommunication and the weather keeps me from celebrating, but I am not without thanks.  I am thankful that I will not give away my hopes for a better future.  I am thankful for the drive to make it a better future. 

Watching the snow

Easy to do from here!  With all the warnings on tv about staying inside, stocking up on food, not driving the car I felt really good about my regular monday, which is to work in the home office, maybe walk to go grocery shopping, do some laundry...I figured it was just a matter of time before the rest of the world caught on with my idea, even if the only excuse they have to live right is a weather anomily. 

I did travel out for a meeting this morning.  It's always nice to sit down with people of shared vision and moving forward is a nice characterstic of any venture.  Speaking of ventures,  looking out at the weather this week, I am still hopeful that the weekend of the beach trip is mild weather...I know the chances are slim, but I have a good feeling about it, ya know? 

The knitting is going well.  I want to go back and get skeins of silver and black, William likes those colors these days.  Yesterday us kids got out to play in the snow, so I am pretty sure that I will be spending a good part of this day knitting.  Isn't that what you are supposed to do when it snows?

Mmm, heimgemacht!

Am I really...

up at 5:30 on Sunday morning?  I guess that is the price I am paying for having an over-active mind.  Friday I met with some people who are months, possibly only weeks ahead of me on the curve of this new venture I am wanting to undertake.  It was really disappointing to talk with them and find out that they had same idea that I did.  They also have a large group of people already on board.  I am meeting with them as a group on Wednesday of next week and am hoping for an offer to collaborate.  Also, yesterday didn't go as well as I would have liked either.  One step forward and two steps back is a good summation of my life right now.  I don't want to tell God how to run his business, so I will just say that I would have taken care of things differently. 

Shells of men

A worn shell
one of many on the streets
hard empty husks
discarded into anonimity
by industry, or drink, or guilt
or whatever else might rip the meat out
before tossing it aside

Banging out hats!

Just finished blocking out a couple of hats for Nathan and Bre, to keep they heads warm this winter in China...They turned out nice I think.  Straight knit, easy stuff.  The bottom (black with verigated stripes) hat in this photo is one I knit for myself.  Actually, it is one of two that I had knit for myself.  The first one was a verigated red which I ended up not liking, so I banged out another one for me before knitting the other two. It is now time to start on hats for the kids for Christmas. 

I am glad it's Friday today.  I am home working on "this side thing" that I have going on.  A couple of months ago I had an innovative idea, did a lot of research and put a lot of thought into it, and last week I took it to a few business owners that I thought might be interested.  Turns out, they were very interested and they are on board.  Since then, I have been working on it hot and heavy.  Still though, I can't tell you what it is, because I want it to be a surprise!  My plan is to go public in January, so stay tuned! 



A nice weekend :)

I had a great birthday weekend!  Friday night we stayed home, and I was able to get started opening presents :)  I got a new rain cover for my backpack, concert tickets, twelve socks, coffee money, and a very cool handmade card from my sweetheart! 

On Saturday, we went to SAM, and since we were getting free tickets we lolly-gagged and got there kind of late (hey, I don't have to get up early on my birthday!), so late in fact that we decided to pick up tickets for Sunday instead and headed to the yarn store for some inspiration and a skein on bulky wieght for kid hats.  From there we headed to Maritime Brewery in Ballard and had a dinner of apetizers of Deep Fried Pickles, Deep Fried Bacon (yeah thats right!), and a "spread platter" with various types of bread, then we came home and hung out.  Pretty chill.   I worked on and finished a hat that had been in the works for some time by crocheting a bit on the edges, and adding tassles to keep the flaps down.

Sandy worked on some cards she is making for a craft bazaar.  Sunday we got up and went to the Picasso exhibit and by the time we were done it was time to go see the kids.  Weekends just don't last long enough!  



Friday! WOOT!

And tomorrow is my birthday!  45 years old doesn't seem like all that old to me anymore!  Bob, one of the guys here at work said, "won't be long until 45 seems young!"  Well, to me, at the moment it seems young and I feel young, so I am just going to play along and act young too.

This whole running thing...

I finished another hat for me a couple days ago.  The first one I knitted for me I ended up not liking.  The second one I knitted for me I like a lot!  I had to felt it a little to get the fit right, but it is more plain than the first and that suits me.  I am currently working on hats for Nathan and Bre, per their request for winter hats while in China.  I found some verigated Lana Grossa yarn at Weaving Works that I really like for Bre and some natural color for Nathan.  They should be in the mail in a week or so! 

For a week or so now I have been getting up and running along with my regular exercises...I don't like it, running just plain and simple sucks!!  I can see some improvement in my cardio health already which is good to report.  My goal is to be able to run all the way up the hill, currently, I can almost make it to the hill!