Knotty Mouse

Thankfully its the last day of NaBloPoMo and I’ve made it through 30 straight days of posting.. even if some of them were just memes. As much as I complained about coming up with something to put here on a daily basis.. I’ll miss posts from my other blogland friends every day.  I can safely say that I won’t be posting daily from now on because I much prefer to have pictures and a semi-organized post before I sit down at the computer to blog.. rather than just rambling off the cuff. I’m sure that 30 days of my non-existant grammer and sentance structure (not to mention completely incorrect use of punctuation and most likely terrible spelling thanks to lack of spell check in WordPress..) has some of the folks who read my blog ready to rip their hair out about now.. so I’ll take my run on sentances and retreat to my corner for a few days of much needed down time.

Only one more day left after tonight of NaBloPoMo and NoroVember.. and I’m only going to be completing one of the two. My kureyon Danica scarf is at a stall and about the only thing getting done is the spinning for a christmas gift.. possibly a lace scarf for my husbands grandmother.  I’m definitely going to have to ply this fiber because the singles are thick/thin and have some ‘blobs’ in them from the way the fiber was prepared.. but I’m thinking that it might make a nice ‘branching out’ scarf or something similar.

Thanks for the hugs and the well wishes..  I really appreciate them. My life is doing this weird twisty-turn thing in the last 2 weeks and I’m rather confused by the path things are taking.

My sis Dragon sent me a link in an email and I thought I’d share it with you.. its called House-Mouse Designs and I think I have to buy this tote bag as soon as humanly possible. Holy freakin’ cute!

Its more like “run by” rather than driveby.. since I don’t drive much.. but you know what I mean. I’m super busy with insane life stuff… most of which unfortunately I can’t blog about right now. There’s half of me that wants to post.. and half of me that doesn’t want to blog cryptic nonsense that might get misunderstood.  Everything is fine with my family.. and we’re surviving..  There’s just a lot of job stuff and money stuff.. and things in the works that may or may not be better than before.  I know that was still rather cryptic.. but hopefully the things that are going on will get us out of the rather big hole that we’re in and put us in a more stable position. I’m just at the point where we (myself and my family) have been burned one too many times by people and promises.. and I’m not really sure whether to believe or have faith in the possible oppertunities we’re being offered. 

I updated the shop with a few bigger sets (of 5)  of stitch markers and am doing ALL the sets in  metal tins for the holidays for gift giving - it goes until I run out of tins ( and I have about 20 at the moment)- and its just a ‘thank you’ to my customers. I’ve yet to actually update this stuff on the site since I’m not sure whether I’m coming or going.. but the new sets of stitch markers are up there.  I’m hoping to put another update of polymer stitch markers before the holidays..  but we’ll see how it goes. {/shameless promotion}

You are a health conscious person, both your health and the health of others. You know all about the health benefits and dangers of the world around you.”

This quiz is completely amusing.. since I am getting sick and need to be taking echinacea so that I don’t get slammed with whatever plague that is going around. I’m probably going to muddle through the last few days of NaBloPoMo with some Memes because that’s all I’m up to.

I’m really glad that there are only a few more days left of NaBloPoMo because this is absolutely killing me to post every day.  I’m completely exhausted today after spending all day yesterday with the inlaws at various houses for other thanksgiving meals…  it was fun but tiring.

I forgot to write up my review of “Happy Feet” after we went to the theater so I’ll just add it in todays post.  I really did like the movie.. thought the animation was amazing and the scenery was gorgeous.  I’d definitely recommend it to people with small children because there was no violence to speak of and nothing got eaten or killed..  and most of the jokes were pretty tame.  It kept my 5 1/2 year old son’s interest as well as my own through the whole movie and had a few really good jokes for the adults.  All in all it was a fun trip to the theater.. and I can see why the movie is getting such high reviews.

Now that the HP scarf is off the needles.. I’m moving on to some of my other UFOs. I do work on the Mountain Colors Clapotis at night for a few rows at a time.. but I’m pretty sure that its going to take quite a while to finish it. I’m too far now to frog it and I love how the drape and colors are turning out.. but its going to take forever.

I’ve got my holiday knitting list down to 4 items - two of which need to be finished before Hannukah so that they can get mailed in time.  I’m looking at a pair of Fuzzy Feet, a cabled hat, a 2 year old sized sweater, and a scarf…  It sounds do-able.  I think.

I still check the stats on my old blog.. and it seems I’ve been getting some interesting hits..

• Live Miniature Cows
• Keep On Trucking Mice
• Winona Ryder Haircut
• Sick Mouse photos

um.. yeah.  Not much going on around here at Chez Mousie.. mostly knitting and tv watching. I don’t watch much tv but I’ve suddenly gotten addicted to “CSI: Miami” and have been watching it every night.. basically trading one idiot box (computer) for the other (tv).  The only thing it DOES do is give me more knitting time.. since I’ve yet to come up with a way to type and knit at the same time.  So between CSI and the Magic Loop method - I present.. A FINISHED OBJECT! (crowd goes wild!) Unfortunately its NOT my NoroVember project.. but instead its the soul sucking Harry Potter - POA scarf! This baby is HUGE as you can see from the first photo.. but I am really glad that I kept knitting on it because its absolutely perfect in length. Its also unbelievably warm since it was knit in the round with WoolEase yarn on size 7’s.. but I’m sure I’ll need it in the morning for the bus. 

Pattern: Harry Potter POA scarf -

Yarn/Needles: Size 7 US / WoolEase Cranberry & Gold

Modifications: I made the scarf dramatically more narrow than the pattern calls for - since I live in Georgia where it doesn’t get cold enough to warrant a 9 inch wide double knit scarf. This one is about 5 inches wide and is about 6 feet tall.

I’ll NEVER knit this scarf again.. mostly because it took entirely too long and started sucking my will to live at about the two foot mark.  I would however do this on my knitting machine.. since it would be done in mere hours vs. the YEAR that it took me to handknit it.  I’m pretty sure that it would still be sitting around in my knitting basket if it weren’t for how quickly I can knit with Magic Loop.

My family has always been pretty laid back about the holidays..  we used to eat Chinese food every Thanksgiving because it was the only restaurant open.. and because it was just the three of us (me, mom & dad) rather than a large family gathering. We never actually got together with either side of my family.. I guess because we were the ‘black sheep’.  All I know is that huge family gatherings at holidays were something I heard about from friends and boyfriends or saw on television.. they just weren’t a reality to me.

My husband’s family however.. being large (in number) and Southern.. do up the holidays bigger than I ever thought possible. It was important to me when our son was born that he have this experience of huge Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas packed with so many family members that you  can’t fit everyone and their presents into one room, and birthdays with all of the relatives gathered around with cameras.  Thanksgiving is one of the holidays that I really enjoy.. because its just the family.. gathered together.. and being together.  My favorite thing this year was to sit with the family and watch television after dinner and knit on my HP scarf.. while everyone just sat and enjoyed themselves.

Christmas (with all of its monetary output for such a large gift list) really stresses me out.. and I usually start feeling that just as soon as my Thanksgiving turkey begins to digest.  This year I feel like I have things a little more under control with the gift list (mostly because we agreed to not to exchange presents for the adults.. only the children) and I refuse to give into holiday stress. I’m hoping to go over to the inlaws tonight and pull out some Christmas decorations from the attic to start decorating my home.. and get together all of my holiday scented candles.  I saw today that the live Christmas trees have arrived at the grocery store (mmmm.. Douglas Fir….) but husband HATES the idea of a live tree since he grew up with one of those fake ones.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of my friends in blogland- hope y’all have a great day (or Happy Thursday to those not in the US) !

I started this blog when we lived in Tennessee … having no idea where this thing would take me. Here I sit over two years later and with some of the greatest ‘real life’ friends that I could ever wish for..  all because I decided to get online and start talking about yarn.

I’m truely thankful for all of the good friends I’ve met through the blog - whether they be in person or via email and chat- you’re all in my thoughts this year as I gather with my in-laws to celebrate Thanksgiving.

May you all be blessed with prosperity and health!

I haven’t been doing much knitting lately since my brain can’t handle the picking up stitches and moving the right way on the entrelac scarf- I’m blaming the stress.

Today MIL is picking up the Munchkin and I and taking us to the movie theater to see Happy Feet and then we’ll grab some lunch before the chaotic Thanksgiving cooking begins. I’m also going to see if she’ll stop by the yarn shop so that I can pick up a small gauge (I’m thinking size 1 or 2 US) circular needle so that I can try a pair of socks done with the magic loop method… something to keep me occupied this weekend.

I’ve been working on the Harry Potter scarf from last year and I’m hoping to have it finished this weekend. I really want to wear it.. and I’m tired of seeing it in my knitting bag!

Munchkin got sent home from school today sick around noon time.. thankfully my husband was here already and was able to pick him up. I was also able to run to the grocery store while they waited in the car so that I could pick up everything we needed for Thanksgiving dinner at the inlaws -I’m in charge of deviled eggs and a cooked vegetable.. so I’m going for the frozen mixed veggie medley from Publix with butter and spices.

Tomorrow is a play/thanksgiving feast at Munchkin’s school and I’ve asked the great-grandparents to come with me. I needed a ride and everyone else was working.. but I know that they’ll love to see the kidlet singing and whatever else they are doing. I’ve spent most of the day cleaning the main areas of the house for when they come.. I’ve gotten a lot done because there is MAJOR stress going on in our lives right now, and when I’m stressed I clean and organize.  Clearly yesterday I had too much fun.. as today I was slapped with call after call that went from bad to worse. 

Speaking of bad to worse.. I have to hit publish on this post before I lose it because the computer is acting weird again.

I figured out what was wrong with my time stamp.. apparently my blog options were set to the wrong time zone! I was -4 hours instead of -5 hours from their “standard time”… its all fixed now I hope!

Today I met up with some of the ATL bloggers at Peachtree Handspinners Guild for a “Social Spin”.. and then some lunch. I didn’t bring either of my wheels but I did learn something new.. Hockey Mom/Sandy taught me how to knit “magic loop” with a circular needle (psst.. your yarn and needle are still in my purse!) and Jen, Claudia & Pixie did a lot of spinning! Jane was knitting another Christmas sock & Janice was working on yet another gorgeous lace shawl.. 

We had a great lunch at a restaurant that I can’t remember the name of at the moment..  and I ate entirely too much bavarian pretzels with homemade mustard (with the mustard seeds.. yum! Interesting too because I actually HATE store bought mustard) and “Pierogi Primavera”..

Jen, Pixie & Claudia were nice enough to take me far out of their way so that I would get home safely and I appreciate it greatly! I’ve spent the rest of the night bloating on the sofa in front of the television with my husband and am now going to crawl into bed. I’ll update this post tomorrow with links and a photo or two.. but right now I’m going to take my overstuffed tummy and go to bed! (11:09pm)

(10:17PM) I can’t figure out why yesterday’s post ended up being posted on the wrong day even though I had hit the “publish” button at 11:01pm - even bloglines reported it as published at the correct time. I am going to keep going with NaBloPoMo as I feel that it was a computer malfunction and not me actually “missing” a post. I’m not signed up under the official page and therefor don’t think that I’ve “failed” quite yet.Today we went over to the inlaws house so that my husband could help cut down some trees that had died in the yard and that could have potentially fallen on the house or the little dogs in the yard during one of our Georgia ice storms. This was the face that kept me company most of the day.. our little Leezard. I miss her dearly ever since I had to return her to MIL’s house because she missed her “sisters”- but I know she’s happiest there with the gang of little dogs.  The tree cutting went surprisingly well.. and no one got impaled by a tree in the process- we even got an entire stack of fire wood out of the deal that should keep us nice and toasty for a good part of the ‘winter’.  Munchkin got to play in the leaves and help pick up sticks and sweep the driveway to make some money for the ‘pirate coin’ ( from the POTC movie..) that he is saving up for… and I got to visit my stone angel in the yard.  When I first moved to Georgia, she was on the steps of the house my husband was renting..  I believe she was brought by a party guest and was never claimed.. and I fell in love with her gothic charm. She moved with us through three houses in Athens.. and then I brought her to live with MIL until we returned from out West. She’s been living outside of MIL’s house for a few years while we were in TN.. and next week I’m going to go bring her home and put her in the house so no one steals her.  MIL jokes that she is going to miss “her” angel.. so I took some photographs today that I’m going to blow up and frame for her for Christmas. 

Tomorrow is spinning guild with Peachtree Handspinners - and hangin’ with the GA bloggers - Sandy, Jane, Claudia, Pixie, Jen & Janice! 

You are The Star

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Star is one of the great cards of faith, dreams realised

The Star is a card that looks to the future. It does not predict any immediate or powerful change, but it does predict hope and healing. This card suggests clarity of vision, spiritual insight. And, most importantly, that unexpected help will be coming, with water to quench your thirst, with a guiding light to the future. They might say you’re a dreamer, but you’re not the only one.