Happy New Year! (Almost)

I know it's traditional to do the whole retrospective/resolution thing. Problem is a stink at resolutions (making or keeping) and I stink equally at paying enough attention in a twelve month span to recap anything. So instead we'll do a week in recap, and resolve...well...nothing.

The holidays made things go by very quickly. I was treated on Thursday to a visit from Miss Em. She and her mom and soon to be brother (long story) Isaac stopped by for gift exchanging and Chinese food eating. Em made a new friend. She fell hard for Marvel, and spent a lot of time dragging him around and riding him and hugging him. She also has a penchant for books, so she and Girl read quite a bit. I am glad that Meg is practicing any child-rearing skills she may have on Emily and April and Aidan. They are entertaining, enjoyable, and perhaps most importantly RETURNABLE. She has proven that when her time comes, IF it comes, she would make an excellent mother. Makes me all proud. Prouder still at her determination to, oh, finish college and get married first. I am now debating getting Em a Marvel of her own for birthday...but there's so much other stuff she could have and Marvel could be a 'Melissa's house only' kind of thing...maybe I will content myself with tiny boots and an itty bitty cowgirl hat and some toy kitchen parts or something. Or more books. This is one smart cookie, as 22 month old babies go. She reminds me of Girl, which is hysterical if you know that Kristie said she could have a girl "...only if it's a girl like Meg was." That she managed to strike the jackpot and get a Meg-like kid is too funny.

We had a visit from April on Saturday. We got to babysit her twice in one day! We had a blast. We gave her her cupcake hat. We had a few bottles, and did a little napping and changing of the diaper. Awesome. You know you're a grandmother when changing diapers is fun. She's such a beautiful little thing, and I adore her to bits. She was very well-behaved while here, although I hear from her mom that she's not so sweet and peaceful at 3AM. I remember sleepless times with her dad. We had an old black and white TV with rabbit ears that was broken so the image was sideways (vertical?) and the TV could really only be watched if you were lying on your right side or if the TV was on it's side. I remember spending a lot of nights trying to sleep on the couch with Dan beside me doing his best imitation of a Very Awake Baby. Oh, that cat? He loves her. If she wiggles or whines he's right there, glaring at me for being remiss in not anticipating her every need. Hannah was the same way with Aidan. It's the coolest thing. (Yes. Disney Si and Am pajamas and the Brad Paisley shirt Mr W. won me in Portland. So I am in my jammies. We're looking at the kid, remember?)

Lest you think I've forgotten knitting in favor of Pseudo-Aunt and Omie activities, observe: I finished Mr W's quick and easy 2:2 ribby toe-ups today. The yarn is Franklin in Mountain Spring (closest thing to a Mr. W. colorway we've got going on there), with some navy blue Jawoll reinforcing yarn at the heel. I noticed his Lorna's looked a bit frayed, so thought maybe I'd extend the life of his socks a bit. This is one of two pictures...the other has him very Tinkerbell on toes after Girl informed him that he was doing it wrong and needed to get up on his toe more. If he didn't read this occasionally, I'd post it. But we don't want to make him squeamish. We may need him to pose more in future (especially since I cast on another pair for him as soon as the first were off the needles. Toe-up again, Brooks Farm Acero, and going with me to TNNA I have decided. Airplane knitting. For the. um. airplane. ride. with the. xanax. and the wine. yeah. it'll be great. sure.)

I also swatched and sketched. Or swatched last week and sketched this week. Started drafting patterns for these three swatches; two vests and a sweater. I am still not sure which is going where. The yarns are Colrain, Sheffield and Sheep Three. They all may end up self-published. Or they all may end up sold. Or a mix of the two. I debated submitting one of the vests to Knitty, but since the deadline is January 5th for spring and since I have not even cast the thing on yet that seems presumptuous, even for me. There is a limit. My fingers can fly. But miracles are a bit beyond me. Four days to write, knit and photograph a design...if I could embrace it as a challenge and go on the offensive it might work. The Colrain jacket I am planning to self-publish. That is sort of a hard and fast decision I made when I first saw the inspiration. It's a keeper I think!

Last but not remotely least I received a little package in the mail today from a certain blogger who was born on January first. Perhaps you've heard of January One? and Spin-Out? Always a fan of a worthy cause and with a particular soft spot for agriculture and humanitarian causes, I donated to Heifer for Spin-Out this year. Well, who needs Santa when there's Cara??? Even after I managed to inadvertently delete her first email in a haze of celebratory Christmas bliss (tequila, anyone?), I still managed to win! Check this out -

Much Awesomeness!
One skeins of Sundara Sock in Raspberry. Mmmmm. Two hanks of Capistrano Fiber Arts in a limited edition color that is VERY me, like super really very me. It looks like berry chocolate mousse, and we all know how I feel about that. Then there's a Sock Pal Bag from Mad Caterpillar, complete with simple sock pattern, darning needle and kitchener instructions and stitch markers. Last but not least a huge (whopping whackload) of Hello Yarn Mixed Berry Fat Sock - 512 yards. It is so big I cannot decide what to do with it. I just ogle a lot. Also included was a Hello Yarn magnet and small sheep (loved the small sheep nestled in the yarn) and a Spin Out magnet, two samples of Soak, and two photocards from Hello. It was a good day to be me!

Now I will go eat bad food (chocolate chili sirloin steak, garlicky mashed potatoes and brussels sprouts followed by tortilla chips, Smartfood, dinner of champions!), watch stupid movies, and maybe crack some champagne and lower a candle from the rooftop at midnight. Have a Happy and SAFE New Years Eve, and catch you in 2008!