Quickie

This needs to be super quick. It's a work day
First, New Treadmill! (close-out, free shipping, and Consumer Reports liked it) I sense that we were being mocked here. Free Delivery does not include "down the drive" or "onto the deck" or even "into the garage to protect from elements". It means "218 lbs in huge box dumped in front of garage, have a nice day lady, good-bye." Sooo....Mr Wonderful kept it from flying down the hill on a hand truck while I navigated it from the front and then we pushed and pulled it up onto the deck. It was not pretty, but apparently was humorous. Once out of the box and assembled (assembly required, who knew?!) I fell in love. It is so quiet that I can't tell it's on really. And I love the smoothness, and the impact absorption thinger, and the cup holder and the fan. And the pulse thing works now, but I think I will still wear my monitor and see who's more accurate. Best of all? When you put the magnetic key on the magnetic starter?? It STARTS. You don't have to jump up and down, pray, beg, plead, or whine. It just STARTS.
61 hats for donation to Save the Children's Caps to the Capital campaign. They're gone now, mailed away. I love Barbara's punkin hat on top there. It's my total fave. I am proud of the knitters who gave time and effort and yarn to this cause, and impressed. As other bloggers have learned, knitters can do amazing things when motivated.
Socks I love, even unwashed or blocked. Schaefer Anne, pattern: my own for the book, and a ton more written and ready to go. OK, not a ton. There's, lessee...three out to sample knitters, five
written and needing knitting, and these and one other here and done. It sounds scary, but it's not at all really. Manuscript deadline: end of February. Personal deadline: February 18th by 8AM. I can knit a sock a day and have saved most of the heavier weights and smaller sizes for last.
Strange, unusual and EXCITING happenings:
My hat is published, thanks to Kathy. South West Trading Co has published this sweet little book of
hat patterns using Karaoke. I designed a hat called Making Waves in Karaoke - I was originally going to call it Mal de Mer, but the name just didn't fly. It was
selected to be included in the book. AND they even put my name on it and everything! Way cool!
And then, the Tilting At Windmills socks that were designed for one of my sisters for Christmas that I submitted to Schaefer? They also were selected - this means Jody gets no socks this year, but maybe by her birthday. Jamie's socks are done, but waiting to be photographed for self-publication. I won a bag of yarn for the Tilt socks - Anne of course!! Psych! Writing books, getting small bits published here and there...it's all rather fun and exciting really!!