Has it REALLY been 2 1/2 months????

Uh, yeah. It has. My bad.

Now that we are settled into our apartment in Sherman Oaks, life carries on. It is so nice and quiet here. I love it.

I continue to work on the Ripple Blanket. My oldest daughter came down from Seattle for Christmas and sort of claimed it as hers. It is still about 1/3 away from completion so there is a stitch marker holding the live loops.

I managed to nearly complete a few knitted items for Christmas presents this year. My daughter headed back to Seattle before I could snap some pix of the crocheted scarf I made for her. I also made a pair of socks for my friend Ray, but he scurried back to Lancaster with them on foot before a photo-op...However, I did manage to produce a hat for one of the guys in the shop where I work that I still have in my possession. I guess it would photograph better with a head in it, but no spares are available right at this moment. It is made from Vanna's Choice acrylic. As a former yarn snob, I think this yarn has a really nice feel to it. Not scratchy or crunchy like acrylics can be but nice and soft.

I am nearly finished with a scarf for Ray. I am determined to not take this project into the New Year! It may be hard to see but it is 3 stitches garter edge with K5, P5, etc. for 7 rows, then switch and K across the P5 and P across the K5 blah, blah, blah...Patons Merino Wool in dark brown. Note:this is the first project in a loooooooonnnnnnggg time that I have used straight needles. Now I remember why I love circulars.

Now that the holidays are almost over, I feel free to start another project! Woo hoo! Another pair of socks for friend Ray. This yarn is Knit Picks Essential in Terrain Twist. From far away it looks like a solid olive green. Up close, it is 2 plys of green and 2 plys of brown, twisted together. So far, I love this yarn. Soooooo soft and cheap at $3.29 a ball. I think this yarn is very easy to knit with.

While I don't support the war in Iraq, I do support the soldiers. This year I will do a lot more knitting for the soldiers, i.e. scarves, helmet liners, etc. Here is the beginning of a scarf in double crochet. Bernat Berella 4 using a size "H" hook.

My daughters are my 2 favorite people on the planet. For Christmas, my oldest gave to me a copy of the first Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals PLUS a gift card for another volume of my choice! When dinner only takes a half an hour to make, there is more time for knitting! I ran right out and got Rachel Ray's Just In Time
with recipes that take not only 30 minutes, but some in only 15 minutes! Also, there are a few that take 60 minutes for those times when you have more time, say on the weekends.

My youngest daughter gave me this fabulous knitting bag for Christmas. Also from Knit Picks, it holds a lot of projects at one time and has lots of pockets and places to hold scissors, patterns, measuring tape, etc. I love it!

Do I have the most wonderful and intelligent daughters or what???

Finally, please send some positive healing energy to my friend Ray who starts chemotherapy on January 7. Thanks.