It's Just a Random Kind of Week

Yep. Another post of random thoughts in point form. Sorry. I had started writing a post about the progress of Brett's sweater and even had a clever title and everything for it. But then my fatigue set in and I couldn't gather up enough energy to keep writing...at one point I had to keep getting up every 10 seconds to shake myself and try to fight my eyelids from closing. So instead of a post about one awesome subject, I give you a post about a bunch of awesomeness, written throughout the day.

- I received the most beautiful skein of yarn in the mail yesterday (it's the photo above). It seriously took my breath away. It's a skein of The Sanguine Gryphon Skinny Bugga! in Strawberry Crab (all links are to Ravelry, as I'm not sure how much longer the SG website will be up for). I got it in a swap last month and even though I have this colourway in another base, I stalk and troll for this colourway on the interwebs like you wouldn't believe. Yes, it's a seasonal colourway and yes, Cephalopod Yarns will be carrying over this colourway to the new company in Bugga! but I suck at stalking shop updates. I will even go as far as saying that Strawberry Crab completely and totally triumphs over MadTosh's Tart. Oh yeah, I went there.

- are you surprised that I'm talking about a yarn that's not SweetGeorgia?

- the photo is just eye candy, as I'm sure most of you are here for the knitting content - of which there is a lack of.

- speaking of updates. I caught the last Wollmeise update of the year and was so darn proud of myself for not purchasing a single skein during their regular update. The grab bag update though...that's another story. Moving on.

- I vowed to not buy another skein of yarn this year. So what did I do? I went and joined the Cookie A 2012 Sock Club. I've been weighing the pros and cons of this club for weeks and finally, in a moment of weakness I caved and joined. But now that I think about it, how could I not join it?? I mean, think about it: this club involves knitting socks, baking cookies, and hand-dyed yarns. You get recipes here people. Cookie.recipes.with your sock patterns. And yarn. I'm a sucker. I know. True, I have knit only one Cookie A pattern in my entire knitting career but I do have several more patterns awaiting in my queue. I love the fact that each shipment comes with 2 patterns - an easy one for times when your brain can't function and a more advanced pattern for when you feel like challenging yourself. I see more sock action coming this way in 2012.

- speaking of socks, I think I need to get going on getting back onto the sock knitting wagon. I had always aimed at having at least one cardigan/sweater, one shawl, and one pair of socks on the needles at all times. I was doing so well there with this too. Until I hit a pattern that I just couldn't get motivated on. I had started Aquaphobia back in April but after what felt like months of knitting and only producing half of the first leg, I lost steam. That, and I've been in utter denial that the sock is a bit tight on my tree trunk leg. To tell you the truth, I think I just need to bite the bullet and frog the sock and either cast on again using a larger needle size, or scrap the project all together. I think for now the half finished sock will have to sit in time out in the proverbial knitting basket.

- I should really finish the second sock of the test knit socks that I was working on. It's a beautiful sock using beautiful yarn. I guess the above mentioned sock made me lose my sock knitting mojo.

- I need to get back my sock knitting mojo.

- having a sock-in-progress would have totally helped me out the other day when I was at the doctor's office. Brett's sweater is now officially too big to carry around and my other WIPs are either awkward to knit on (as in too many yarn cakes to have to worry about), involve too much counting, or require chart reading. I really need a small mindless knit on the go. I'm actually quite shocked that I don't have such a project on the needles.

- another shocker: the other day when we did our weekly grocery shop, the Munchkin fell asleep in his car seat. So I opted to stay in the truck with him. Um, yeah...guess who completely forgot their knitting at home?? I don't know who was more shocked about this, me or Brett. I always have a knitting project in my handbag. Not sure how I didn't this time around. And let me tell you, this will never happen again!! I was bored beyond belief! Not only did I waste time just sitting there doing nothing, but my phone was dead! I couldn't even surf Ravelry. That was an hour and a half that I will never get back. I could have gotten so much knitting done during that time. So sad.

- the progress on Brett's sweater? I finally finished the sleeves and joined them with the body. I had more issues with the sleeves. Nothing big. I just had to keep telling myself that this cardigan wasn't for me and that I really did need to knit them longer! After a few rounds the thought that I needed to stop increasing would creep into my head and that this cardi was going to be massive...on me. Yes self, not for you. Bad girl! This is Brett's sweater! Now that I'm working on the yoke shaping I'm hoping that the next bit will go by super fast.

- I know i'm not going to get Brett's sweater finished in time to wrap it up and give on Christmas Day. But you know what? I'm totally content with that. I really am. Another reminder to myself: the only pressure to get this done is from no one but myself. Brett doesn't care if the cardigan is under the tree or not. He's even told me to take my time cause he understands how much time goes into knitting. He didn't have to, but I still made him read the Yarn Harlot's blog post about the gift of time, since there's a difference between knowing how much time goes into a knitting project versus having the time to knit.

- I think Brett got it cause last night he wrapped all the gifts without me asking. It wasn't the best wrap job, but really, will a three year old even notice how crisp the corners are?

- I've been falling asleep while reading the Munchkin his bedtime stories. The past few months he's been wanting to read only two books from his book collection. This one and this one. My friend Leana gifted them to the Munchkin a few years ago and he absolutely loves them. He now refers to all dogs as "Walt-tut". I'm thinking he's going to like one of his Christmas gifts.

- Oh, another reason why Brett's cardigan won't be under the tree in 3 days: both of my wrists are starting to hurt. I don't think this has anything to do with knitting too much, but more from the result of my current medical state weakening the muscles in my body. I mean, last night I couldn't open an already pre-opened jar of tomato sauce. I became one of those sad people that you see on infomercials who are all down and overly dramatic that they can't do insert action here until a nifty gadget comes along to assist them with it. I ended up running hot water over the jar lid before using this handy contraption that came free with a Chatelaine issue.

- so glad I didn't get rid of that thing. Even though I laughed at it.

- we've tried three times to go see Santa and three times we've been denied. Why? Once Santa had to go on a lunch break and the elves had allowed only a certain amount of kids in the line up, claiming that each kid gets x amount of time with the fat Dude. The second time the line up was so long and the elves decided that there were too many people that they could potentially still be there even when the mall closes. So they asked the last half of the people in line to leave. Starting with us. The last time, Santa had to go on a quick potty break and we were dangerously close to the lunch cut off time AND the Munchkin was starting to get grumpy cause he was hungry as well. I'm afraid that this year will be the year that the Munchkin will not get to sit on Santa's lap. This fact makes me sad. The Munchkin couldn't care less either way.

- Brett made a pan of Rice Krispy treats using the special Christmas version of the cereal. Half of that pan may have fallen into my mouth.

- I'm hoping my energy comes back real soon so that I can work off these extra holiday calories!