Christmas knitting

My brother-in-law's first slipper is done. Well, except there's this second sole thing I have to knit and attach, and then I have to felt the whole shebang, but I'm focusing on progress. Whee, progress. I think it makes a remarkably attractive hat, but the Best Roommate Ever disagrees.

Tres sexy, non?

Party aftermath

Party has been thrown and was a wild success! Everyone declared my house "adorable" while I regaled them with stories of getting the toilet installed the day before we moved in. Cookies were eaten, champagne was drunk (thanks, Fairy Yarn Mother!), the knitters behaved themselves and refrained from overtly scaring the non-knitters. A few pics of my apartment (HOUSE! Not apartment. House!), all sparklied up:

Many wonderful prezzies found their way into my home.

The cutest teapot ever, with tea from Sara, Coworker of Awesomeness


a nummy nummy candle from the lovely lady at Reporebo Yarns. I also received an illustrated copy of the Devil's Dictionary from blogless Alice, and from my Dad, what every little girl dreams of:

my own drill and bit set!

M-F-er!

I just got a bill from Dekalb Medical center for almost $900 for a procedure that was done in JANUARY. The letter says something like "it has been 30 days since we billed your insurance provider . . . " Well, NO FREAKING KIDDING, JERKS! If you'll excuse me, I have to go invent new curse words, since my current stock is woefully inadequate. Any suggestions?

does a thing like this happen to a nice girl like me?

Usually, I am a card-carrying, flag-waving, loud-and-proud member of the Selfish Knitters Club. No, really, check it out. And yet, somehow I have ended up planning a handknit gift for almost every person on my Christmas list. The Best Roommate Ever is getting handknit socks, as is my mom; my sister is getting a hat, and my not-yet-but-might-as-well-be-and-one-day-will-be brother-in-law is getting slippers. (Ok, actually, I know how it happened. I put down a downpayment on a house and realized I was out of money. That's no excuse for my actions, though. What the hell was I thinking?)
Fortunately, I'm coming along pretty well. Mom's socks (begun in July) and my sister's hat (made with Cashmerino Superultracrazybulky) are finished. BRE's socks are done up to the cuffs, so I'm hoping a few knit nights will knock those out. My brother-in-law's slippers, though . . . Does this look even remotely like a slipper?

I'm scared.

Party on!

OK, new plan! Party is on Saturday the 13th, from 1-ish to 4-ish. Email me for directions!

if it's not one thing, it's another . . .

So, housewarming party plans have been derailed already. I have an appointment at 3 that I can't move or skip. So . . . I seek opinions from those of you more socially ept than I. (Or from those just as socially inept as I am. I like opinions. If you've got one, throw it in.) Should I move the party to the next Saturday (the 13th)? Or is that edging into Christmas-crazy-busy-ness territory? Or, should I move the party to later in the day, say, starting at 5-ish? Or is that edging too close into dinner territory? I was going for a little afternoon gathering with snacks for noshing, because I really truly don't cook, and while the CDC is quite nearby, I don't want people to show up with the expectation that I'm capable of feeding them a non-fatal dinner. Halp!

a year in socks

Happy Thanksgiving, all ye of American persuasion! I was reminiscing the other day about this time last year, when I was working on the RPM socks and taking them for a little jaunt in the mountains of north Georgia. Which led to my wondering how many socks I had completed since them, which led to a little impromptu photo session on my new living-room rug.

Six pair, not counting the socks I finished for my Mom's Christmas present, or the socks I'm working on for BRE. Not bad. I'm no Quiddity, but I'm pretty pleased with myself. (How that woman can turn out so many socks so fast is a constant source of wonder and befuddlement to me. It's truly amazing. I would be jealous, but she's such a delightful person that I just can't. And she has the cutest cats ever.)

The house is coming along at a good, steady pace. Every day there's a tiny bit less chaos. Of course, Jaymie is helping as only he can.

I think we're ready for a housewarming party, which I'm tentatively scheduling for Saturday, December 6th, early afternoon-ish. Consider yourself invited! Email me for address and/or directions.

Last year I put together a really great Thanksgiving post, and while this year's will not be as full of deep thoughts and ponderings, I think it's important to be thankful and remind yourself of the good things in your life. So, in no particular order, I'm thankful for:

• my parents, who have basically given up their lives and all their spare time to fix up this house. This would absolutely not have been possible without them.
• the Best Roommate Ever, who proved herself even more awesome than I would have thought possible with all the renovation and moving chaos.
• my knitting friends, who keep demanding to know when I'm going to let them come over and paint my house for me. You can't get better friends than that.
• all of my extended family, whom I got to see this year for a big wedding, and whom I'll get to see again next year for another wedding. And for never asking me, "When is your turn?" because then I'd have to hurt them and that would ruin everyone's fun.
• the kittenbeasts, to whom I am the sole mommy for Thanksgiving week, as BRE is out of town visiting family. I promised her that if I sold them to the gypsies in her absence, I'd get a good price for them.
  

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!