Petition for a Doodle

November 14th is World Diabetes Day, a day to raise awareness of diabetes. I'm sure most of you have seen the great logos Google uses to mark holidays and events. They call them doodles, and the diabetes community is hoping Google will put one up for World Dabetes Day.

Here's how you can help. Please go sign a petition that will be presented to Google on November 1st. We're hoping to have more than 20,000 signatures, so we need your help!!

WIP Wednesday - Non-Knitting Edition

The past week has been filled with a WIP of a different kind. Remember that bathroom re-do we started over a year ago? Like many of my knitting WIPs, we kind of lost the love on this project and put it into Hibernation. But last week, Pea took some days off and we dove in on this UFO.  Forces were working against us.  Five days of rain and humidity made the primer and each coat of paint take at least 7 hours to dry.   (We used that time to visit with some family that was down from Maine).  So it's not quite a FO yet, but at least we're getting somewhere.

The walls are progressing . . .

there has been lots of patching and painting . . .

and the new vanity and sink are finally in, along with a bead-board backsplash to replace those ugly tiles!!

Obviously, we still have a lot of work left. None of the trim has been painted.   Neither has the outside of the claw-foot tub.  The new light and medicine cabinet have not been installed.  All the little bath accessories still need to be purchased and put in.  And a new curtain needs to be made.  I'm hoping we can get this accomplished over the next few weekends.

Of course, progress on this WIP has been made at the sacrifice of many other things!  I'm behind on my on-line class.  I haven't been posting to my blogs.  I have barely been commenting or e-mailing people.  I have mounds of dirty laundry waiting and I can remember the last time I cooked a good meal instead of ordering take-out.  And knitting progress has been going SLOW.  So if I'm a little scarce for the next week or so, it's just because I'm trying to get life back on track.  Those big WIPs sure have a way of taking over!!

Ling-Ling-Ling

What is that sound? It's the sound of a slot machine jackpot!!  Although to me, those bells are ringing out "Yarn-Yarn-Yarn"!

It's been pretty busy  here lately, and Pea and I are starting to feel like the only time we see each other is when we collapse glassy-eyed in front of the TV. So over the weekend we decided to take time out for an adventure to our favorite playground for grown-ups, Mohegan Sun. We haven't been there in a while because it really isn't in our budget. But we emptied our change jars, cashed in our coins, and hit the casino!

Slots are my game. I usually play the quarter or nickel machines. But for some strange reason, a penny machine caught my eye. I figure you never win much on a penny machine, but decided to play a bit for fun. That turned out to be a wise move on my part, because soon after I hit for over $200!!! On a penny machine!!

I replenished the funds Pea and I had gambled away. Then we had a nice lunch and played a bit more. I was feeling kind of silly, because by that time I was only up by $60. Maybe I should have stashed more of my winnings away.

Just then, another penny machine caught my eye. I sat down, put in $20, and started to play. LING-LING-LING-LING. I hit again, for over $200!!!!! I couldn't believe my luck! We played a bit more, but I was smarter this time. I came home with $200 safely in my pocket in my Fiber Fund.

RHINEBECK HERE I COME!!!!

Yarn P*rn of the Week - Spring Break

Claudia Hand Paint Fingering
Spring Break colorway

Okay, it's not exactly Spring.  In fact, in a few days it will officially be Fall.  And it sure feels like Fall this morning (which means I can wear hand-knit socks again - whoopee!!).

I didn't buy this yarn on Spring Break either.  I bought it back in July on my Family Reunion.  


I think the gorgeous colors in this yarn will get me through the long, cold winter with thoughts of spring and reminders of my great vacation in July!!

WIP Wednesday - Slow Sleeves

The body of my February Lady Sweater went fairly fast.  Okay, towards the end I felt a bit like I was in the knitting black hole and the body just wasn't growing.  But that didn't last long and soon I was done.

But this first sleeve . . .

. . . . this first sleeve is taking FOR.  FREAKING. EVER.

And I still have the second one to knit.  I thought about just one sleeve as a fashion statement - but I don't think that's a statement I want to make.  So I'll knit on.

Oh, and buttons?  Yeah, still don't have any yet.  I guess the sleeves can take as darn long as they want to!