What's been flying off my needles at a snails pace

So far this year I've knit a bit, but just a bit. In January I listed my first FO's. There is one missing, the little baby hat that I never mailed. For some reason there isn't a picture of it either. I must remedy that...tomorrow. But I did finish the slippers for Max and here is a before felting and after felting picture. Free pattern and WOTA yarn. and here is after
And looking at my photos it appears that I simultaneously finished this Last Minute Knitted Gifts Scarf. I wonder if I'll make another one for Andrea's birthday this year? I'll probably forget by then! and finally, the long awaited Cozy. I started it with my first order from KnitPicks when they just came out with their own yarns. I had ordered a few skeins of this not knowing what it would be. After it decided to be Cozy from Knitty.com, I waited to save my money for the required additional skeins. Eventually I bought them and after many months of on again off again knitting, it is done. This picture doesn't show how I've learned to wear it (a la the model on Knitty), but is the only picture of it I have. The stitch detail is interesting. Knit in Andean Silk it took 8 skeins on size 11 Addis. It drapes divinely :)
It occurs to me that I finally finished the shawl, quickly made the scarf and slippers because I wanted all my needles free lest I get distracted from my Olympic entry. Which I certainly did, but not my knitting. That would be the never-ending Oscars.

Friends and Family in Tulsa

We are very lucky to have both of my parents alive, healthy and living relatively close by. It's a 6 hour drive, but we've done it so long it doesn't seem long at all. This trip I got together with some great friends and former co-workers. And the boys got to go shooting at the range with my father not once, but twice on a quick 3 day trip. How's that for great? Throw in some chocolate cake made by the boys for my dad and getting to see my brother and his family makes it one incredible weekend. May you be so lucky as to have this great a family!

I feel fuzzy (feet)

These are fuzzy feet from Knitty.com. While I was waiting for my copy of FiberTrends felted clogs to show up, I impatiently knitted these in BS winter frost and WOTA. you can see that I doubled the soles. The first felting was a tad loose and these are the pictures. The next felting was a tad over-felted and required a shoehorn to get them on. I won't show you a current picture because these are so wonderful that I wear mine constantly, to bed, to the trash, in the snow, constantly. They are not beautiful anymore, but they wear like iron! I also knit a pair for #1 son, not doubled, out of WOTA and his look like little elf feet. He likes his quite well and I am almost happy that I gave my old pair of slippers and some night gowns to a neighbor who's house burned. I missed my old slippers and then I HAD to make new ones!

I need a break!

Max & Ginger, Diane & knitting, William and J.D., Mickey (phat cat) and Venus de Mittens. Not pictured is Fudge the super Yorki and dearly missed is Blue Angel who died 2/6/06 in a tragic household accident.

After finishing up a little over 24 hours of volunteering with Ronald McDonald House's Rock103 Radiothon, I plunged into Oscar Night America and the annual Valentine Cookie delivery for significant donors to RMH Memphis. But I was exhausted. One evening found all of us in our bed. No one was missing and while I was knitting they were giggling and watching a bit of TV between vying for a spot on the full-sized bed.

Kitchen hell part 1

Here are a few pictures of the first of the kitchen chaos. We tore out a bar and closed in a wall to create a larger closet in William's bedroom. He was an enthusiastic worker.

Laugh a cold, drown an upper respiratory infection

Here it sit, as I have all day, in our bed. Warmed by the laptop and currently wrapped in my just completed Cozy. I have knit, worked on a volunteer project for Ronald McDonald House and watched TV more than any human ever should. I have asked for drinks and even got Ginger to go to Sonic and get me a strawberry shake for "dinner" as I was completely over one more mug of tea or cup of broth. The kids have settled for the evening and have survived quite well with Ginger attending to them so I opened the Yarn Harlot thinking something light would help me sleep. I forget (there's that memory thing) how irreverent and self deprecating, but absolutely spot-on, Stephanie is. So instead of settling in for the evening without knitting needles or computer, I was literally laughing out loud, tears running down my face. Laughter is good for a cold, but not good for the sleeping spouse next to you. Even Fudge (our Super Yorki who shares our bed with 2-3 cats at any given moment) looked at me quizzically and hopped off the bed. So I reluctantly set aside your most excellent writing Stephanie and lull myself to sleep with a big of alcohol and a warm computer. I promise to post pictures of my latest FO's just as soon as I look presentable...or at least am not wearing bed-head, pajamas and the flush of fever upon my cheeks.