Happy Thanksgiving!!

I try to be thankful every day for the things in my life. My healthy happy family, sons, daughter, Moms, Dads, Sisters, brothers, nephew, those close and not so close. All my cousins also both near and far.

I am spending today with one part of my family. My dear husband Andy, youngest son Joesph, MIL, SIL, BIL, nephew and the grandmother. Enjoying a Thanksgiving feast prepared by the BIL with assorted dishes provided by my MIL and an apple pie and gooey pumpkin cake thing baked by me this morning.

I will miss my oldest kids James and Jessica as they spend the holiday with their father and his family, but still wish them the best Thanksgiving day possible. Love you guys and miss you. My mother is enjoying her Thanksgiving today with her husband and brother(out for a long visit to California) and my sister should be down already as well, to enjoy a weekend at home with Mom.

I am thankful daily for lots of things, good health, family, friends, a good job and co-workers, a roof over my head, a car that runs, a family that cares for me and I for them.

I am also thankful for the internet and all the friends it has brought to my life. Some I have met IRL(in real life) some I have not and hope to some day.

My gaming friends from DOJ, whom I have been absent for a while, but speaking with more now that fall and winter are moving in and outside is getting chilly. Yes, most of my gaming is done when the weather is crappy or chilly out, lol.

My real life knitting friends over at Twisted Stitchers Happy Thanksgiving and see you next week!!!

And to my online knitting friends, some I meet through KR and some I have not only continued the friendship, but expanded and also made even more friends though Ravelry. I have to give a warm and heartfelt thanks to Jess and Casey with Bob, who came up with a wonderful idea and carried it much further than I think they ever expected and to such massive membership, that I know they didn't expect. Ravelry goers are doing our own Thanksgiving/Holiday Well wishing over there to show our thanks and appreciation for all that they do.

As I sit and type this epic, I began to think of other specific online folks, Bethany, who I hope is continuing to settle into her new home in Alabama after a very rough trial to get there, an having a great day with her family and the Holiday season brings her all the Joy and Happiness that family and holidays can. Silfert who I think would love the Pumpkin Gooey cake so I have attached the link, so she(and everyone else who bakes) can try it.

I have many other online friends, that I think about today, I will not list them, because 1) I will forget someone and hate doing that and 2) if I mention everyone I will miss my dinner, so to all the others out there who's names I haven't mentioned but are out there and i have made/sent Happy Thoughts too, you bring great joy, entertainment, education and happiness to my life by the thoughts you post in the forums and blogs and I wish as well all the Joy and Happiness the today and the rest of the Holidays will bring.

I will close now, pies to finish and need to get ready for dinner, Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy.

Update, Sock it to Me Twice, Fo's

First an update, it has been a while...


Other than having a vicious cold, that has killed my voice(probably have a good phone career for a couple of days, lol), Joey started the cold cycle and is doing better though still off just a tad, Andy's still hacking away, think if he isn't better by Wed, drag him to work for a CXR and antibiotics.


We woke up to snow on Monday. Big, white, fluffy flakes. If it had been a little colder, probably would have stuck. Ahhh well, turned to rain by afternoon. It was pretty though. Anybody else love the way snow looks while you are driving, the tunnel flying at you thing, I think it's neat anyway.


Getting ready for Thanksgiving. I will be baking an apple pie and a pumpkin custard thing(have to go to Rachel Ray's website for this recipe) that the Dear MIL has requested.


Looking at the Black Friday ads to see if there will be anything on the XMas lists for a good price. I will NOT be getting up at 2am again. Did it last year and not happening this year, unless it is free and I have to have it can't live without at, the world will end if it is not in the house, etc... so yeah...


Had a wonderful delivery yesterday.... what was it you ask.... Yarn Pirate!!! in BFL(blue faced leichester) Never touched BFL before.... ohhh boy, I pulled a L&V when I touched it. Yeap I squeed, LOL!!!! and the colorway is gorgeous, Georgia really did a wonderful dye job. Wound it up then and there and I have a new pet for my desk until I decide what pattern. Thinking maybe a shawlette or scarf.


Will be going to a book signing for Mary Beth Temple - Secret Language of Knitters on Dec 2 in Montclair. I met her at the Ravelry brunch at Stix-n-Stitches early this month, wonderful lady, book promises to be a great read!!


Finished 2 projects this week, the stockinette hat for Andy(only took about 2 weeks of off and on knitting), and my Halloween socks from WoolGirl are done.






I have since cast on 2 more pair for me. The Nov Mystery from Mona at SKA(Ravelry) were re-cast on last night with metal DPN's, I tried with the bamboo #0 and #1 and was too nervous with every bend and uhhggg, thankfully nothing snapped, so #1 nickle and much happier. Also cast on the Rivendal from Chameleon ColorWorks(August), love the evolution yarn, hopefully they will be back on track for next year.


Once my order from Stix-n-Stitches arrives I will be casting on for Holiday Projects. I promise though no one is getting socks from me, maybe.... Really trying not to over commit myself with holiday knitting this year... see how it goes....



My Sock it to Me Twice Questionnaire!! for inquiring minds who really want to know......

1. How long have you been knitting? Do you consider yourself beginner, intermediate, advanced? I have been knitting for about 5 years now off and on, steadily for the past 8 months. I figure I am comfortable intermediate.
2. How long have you been knitting socks? 8 months
3. What are your favorite fibers to work with? right now merino/bamboo blend from Mama Llama has been the best so far, with a close second to a merino/tencel blend I picked up from Cherry Blossom Fibers
4. What is your favorite color? Red
5. What are your current WIPs (works in progress)? actually working 3 socks(2 for me, 1 for DH). Will have a some holiday projects going on the needles after thanksgiving.
6. Name your favorite yarns, (brand, fibers, colors, etc.). see #3 and lets see.... actually Ultra alpaca from Berraco(going to be a Cozy shawl someday) for none sock, Reynolds Rapture I just picked up and really like(that will be a scarf or shawl eventually) Just received some BFL, which I am still petting. Colors, I like jewel tones or natural and willing to try most anything fiber or color wise.
7. What are some yarns/fibers that you stay away from. Lion Brand wool ease(feels nice to touch but working it feels like fiberglass) qualifier, I will use acrylics though Simply soft, Baby stuff etc...
8. What is your family situation? (Married, kids, pets?) Married, 3 kids(2 1/2 year old at home) 6 cats and 2 dogs(Bull mastiff and Shepard/Chow)
9. Name some of your hobbies. obvious first, knitting and crocheting, PC gaming(BF2, DOD, Guild Wars, Hellgate London), reading.
10. Name some of your favorite movies? The Fifth Element, Breakfast Club, Hackers
11. Do you like to read? Yeap, Sci/Fi, Fantasy, limited Romance and Mysteries. Amazon
12. Do you collect anything? Chop sticks(yes the kind you eat with), shot glasses when I go to new places, fuzzy pens.
13. Do you own an iPod or mp3 player? both use the iPod more
14. What are your favorite type of knitting needles? Rosewood and Harmony primary and the KP nickle plated, then birch and bamboo.
15. What knitting notion could you not live without? crochet hook
16. Who are some of your favorite designers? Cookie A, Anne Hanson(Heavens, have you seen her new shawl with thraven!!!)
17. Do you subscribe to any magazines? (Knitting or otherwise.) Parents, Parenting and PC Gamer
18. When is your birthday? Nov 7
19. Do you have a "wishlist", (on Ravelry, Froogle, or Amazon)? Amazon see #11, Ravelry anything in my favs
20. Do you have a Ravelry ID? JenC
21. If you had a sheep, what would you name it? hmmm that is a toughie. I like to name critters/pets based on personality and looks, so have to meet him/her first.


Now for the questions my pal asked me via email bright and early this morning:


The first scarf I will probably cast on for myself will be the Tigers eye or the Dragon scale, just acquired some lovely BFL that seems a waste for socks(though they would be wonderful). I do have plans to cast on for the Butterfly Shawl and or the Kimono Shawl before the end of the year. It will all depend on my mood though.

For socks, average cuff is 6" for me, though I do have a couple of Cookie A's knee high patterns in my pattern file that I like. Haven't done any ankles yet for myself. Patterns/colors, I pretty easy going and love anything that is hand made for me. Colors that I avoid for myself though tend to be the candied colors. I do not mind being pushed out of my color/fiber zone. That's why I joined sock/fiber clubs :-)

This will close out today's episode. Will try to update this weekend on the triptophene(sp?) coma wears off....

Drive By posting STrike that a Real Update instead...

A quick update. Halloween went great Jeoy had a blast, Will post pics eventually. Still socking along. Almost finished with the last committed pair and it will be all for me. At least until Feb/March.bI (please forgive me) signed up for Sock It to Me Twice. HAve the Sock Stash Eliimination going along as well hopefully to decrease some ot the st

Ok, that was supposed to be a drive by post from last week that I never got back to... Well Halloween was great and Joey did have lots of fun going trick or treating with his cousins. He was polite, said thank you and blew a kiss to almost every house that gave him him a treat. Pics of my lovely dragon, he said RAWR a lot too!!

These are from the school's Halloween party and parade.

In other news, almost finished with Andy's sweater, all pieced together AND IT FITS!!! Just need to weave in a couple of loose ends at the neck and it will be completely done. Also finished off the last pair of committed socks, a pair of eyelet spirals(can be viewed on my flickr or Ravelry)for a very special Ravenclaw. Finished off one of the 'It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown' socks, just in time for the 'Christmas Story' package to arrive from WoolGirl. Jen did her usual excellent packing and presentation. Would have gone under the tree if it was up, it was so Christmasy

AHHH lets see what else, Mon or Tues can't remember which received my Hogwarts Sock Swap package from Ophelia- Love the colors so bright and rich with a lovely diamond pattern... A notebook, Some wonderful smelling lotion and soap, very pretty stitch markers, size #4 dpns in birch(needed those), A Harry Potter puzzle, a couple of great magnets, I loved the card!!! and a tin of knitters mints. The socks are especially special, because Ophelia hand dyed the yarn especially for these socks and so, for me!

Been catching up on podcasts. Lime n Violet are hilarious, listening to them always brightens the day and the looks you get when you laugh hysterically at seemingly nothing, whoooohoo!! And listening while at the voting polls, mmmhhhmmm... those from NJ will understand, after voting for issue #4 regarding "the idiots and insane" this year and not meaning the politicians for once, lol!!

That's about it..... Had a wonderful brunch on Sun in Montclair with fellow Ravelers at Stix n Stitches even made it into their blog!! Got to meet Mary Beth Temple of The Secret Language of Knitters and will be going to her book signing in December. Lots of wonderful people at the brunch, my Friends list tripled after...(sorry if I don't remember your real name, I knd of suck at that) Lynn, Pieheart, Mrs Mattesky, QuirkyKnitter, Sheila, and everyone who's names I can't remember(i do remember faces though... sometimes...)Hopefully they will do this again, talk of making it monthly was going around. It was lots of fun, talking knitting, shopping, munching(the cinnamon pastry was divine, as was the homeade coconut bread!!)

Hmmm Stitches never did post about that, did I..... Had a great, if exhausting time. Barry Klein's class on top down Raglan was the best out of all of them, the others Stashology(not really what I expected but interesting), Cabling class, good learning expierience, I should be able to cable.. (didnt mean to rhyme it though, lol) Sampler was ok, but way too much by Sunday, cut that one short. Inner Harbor was gorgeous, enjoyed walking down from the hotel and having lunch with a friend at Cheesecake factory.

The Market, was HUGE, I was so glad I had a plan when I hit it on Friday. It was so overwhelming. Picked up some great yarn though. From Storm Moon Knits some wonderful colorways in Gaz, Cyndi Lauper, THe Great Pumpkin and I Put a Spell on You and some great stitch markers that I dan't find the pick for, but are on her shop page.....

Went to BlueMoonFiberArts to see and touch to find out what everyone is so hot about. The colors are much better in person!!! and squishy soft as well, walked away with 3 skeins of lightweight in PondScum(MUCH better in person), Atomic 6 and Azurite and I did (shhhhh) sign up for Socks that Rock Club 2008(confirmation came last night).

FOund some wonderful alpaca(no name) in a charcoal grey, wish I had picked up more though. $21 for 650yards and so soft!!!! only got 2 should have bought more :-(.

Lots of touchy feely at all the yarn I could get my little paws one, enjoyed the rich colors as well. Will make it a little easier to shop online for some things, now that I know how it feels and the colors look IRL. With so many shops online now, I didn't have to break the budget, I can now comfortablely go to their respective website and have a good feeling about what I am getting and not the "let's pray shot in the dark" feeling about what will arrive.

On that note, Have made reservations for next year, Nov 6-9, 2008 at Baltimore, again and will sign up as soon as the brochure hits the mailbox or sooner if they open online reg up early agian!!!

If you have made it this far, you really must be bored or way to interested in my life, lol. Hope you enjoyed the reading and weren't to bored.

Have a wonderful day, stop by again real soon....