Out, out *&%^$# blue sweater!

Okay, I just give up. The past two weeks have been so wild that I've quit trying to save the blue sweater and I ripped out the whole sweater. Now, I am using the yarn to knit Knitting Pure & Simple's bulky v-neck pullover. So far, it's going fine.

I'm not sure why the simple knit-purl pattern stymied me. Maybe it's because I changed this pattern from flat to circular knitting. At this point, I don't care and I don't have the spare time to reflect on it.

First, there was the wedding and a desperate search for a dress. The Littlest Child would sit in his stroller and ask, "No Dwess, Mom?" as I rushed from store to store in the Giant Mall. I bought one at 4 p.m. for a 6:30 wedding. It was a lovely, snowy Christmas wedding. Congrats Stephanie and Darren!

From then on, I ran from school drives to tutoring to Christmas concerts and drives to outlet malls. I think I crammed a month of activities in one week.

This week the Monday Night Book Group met at my house (we read poetry) and I made my husband and children move all the household boxes from the living room to the kitchen. So, the kitchen is wretched (cupboard but no countertops or appliances or sink) but the living room is neat at least.

Now, after one last shopping trip to the Bull's Eye store and one more to the Apple store. I think it's time to pull out the knitting and just sit. Listen to Christmas carols. Put out the Christmas puzzle (we do at least one per season) and have a cup of tea.

Aah.

Running and knitting - complementary?

I have to apologize for the delay in posting but reality was intruding on my lazy knitting plans. Last Saturday, my Oldest Daughter and I ran with our running club in the Minneapolis Lifetime Fitness Reindeer Run. It was about 13 degrees F. and snowy. Because of a little stopwatch operator error (mine!) I don't have an personal time (the race was a "Fun Run" - no official times) but it felt really good. It was also a hoot to people watch! Holiday costumes were encouraged and we ran as penguins but the best ones were dressed as "Mary and Joseph" - complete with pregnant belly and cardboard donkey. If we can just keep on running until February - our next race is at Valentine's Day. Generally, I find running to be a nice complement to knitting. After all that work, it is a pleasure to just sit down, put my feet up and knit along.


I'm the attractive semi-penguin on the far right of the second row. Wowza! Go Team Salubrious!

As for my knitting - I'm falling behind. The blue sweater is already boring me - just circular double moss stitch. And if I don't watch it, the purling throws off my gauge. I did finish the cute little striped cap. I put an I-Cord tassel on it but I still need to weave in the ends.

I think I might take up Oldest Daughter's socks again. They are a cable patterned sock I found on the Internet. The official title is the "Knitlist Get-together Cable Sock Pattern" by Anita Sixta. I've been finding my inner Cabler lately - I just bought some cool wooden cable needles from The Woolery - and I think I need a challenge break.

Now if I could only find a dress for Saturday - my friend Stephanie is getting married and I need a dress. Generally, I am a turtleneck and jeans kind of girl but it is a special occasion!