When is enough enough?

I love yarn. As a knitter, I do believe that happens to be a requirement. Okay, I can live with that, but where exactly is someone supposed to put that yarn?

I live in a smallish apartment with seven cats. Yeh, yeh, I know. Anyway, I seem to be amassing a rather formidable yarn stash. Since I never seem to know what yarn I have, I decided to get organized. Unfortunately, just when inspiration struck me, so did Mother Nature. A major bout of rain caused part of the bedroom ceiling to end up on the floor. This, of course, is where I keep the yarn. So, the safety of my stash secured, I moved all of it into the great room (a big name for a kitchen and living room combo). Not to be deterred from my organization frenzy, I bought several of those large plastic drawer units on wheels. Quickly they were filled with my yarn finds. Not so quickly was my ceiling repaired. Finally, after about four months, my the insulation in the ceiling was patched with a lovely shade of blue plasterboard; the walls and ceiling are white. My landlord assures me he will fix it soon (I am assuming that it will not be until after he returns from Aruba). So, in the meantime, the units stay in the greatroom--conveniently close to my knitting chair. There is not one empty space, so that should deter me from getting more yarn. The emphasis is on should.

Not exactly knitting related, but , , , A CALL FOR RECIPES

I am putting together a cookbook for my family as a holiday gift. They frequently ask me for recipes, so it seemed like a logical thing to do. It's going to include recipes for soups, stews, and sopping-type breads.

After thinking about it for a while, I said to myself, "Self, why not make this available for everyone!" I have a DBA as a publishing company, not to mention a block of never-used ISBNs. Of course the catch-22 is that I also have little money, and there is a very real chance that I won't have a job by the end of the year. Buy, what the heck--I'll do it as an e-book. That way the costs are limited, plus I can pretty much do it on my own.

So, if you have any recipes that you'd like to contribute, please send me an e-mail (ida@sweet-tea-and-magnolias.com). You won't get any money or free books, but you will get credit in the cookbook. Plus, 10 percent of the book's sale price will be donated to America's Second Harvest (click on the banner below to learn more about this wonderful organization).

Hope to hear from you all.

Secret Pal 9 Questionnaire Answers

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like? I'll knit with almost anything, but I love alpaca!

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? I have one of those knitting rolly things.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I taught myself many years ago. After not knitting for a long time, I picked it up again about 5 years ago. I guess I'm an advanced beginner.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? No

5. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products, etc.) None

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? No

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I love to cook. I crochet. No, I've not yet learned to spin.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) Almost any but country. Yes, it can play MP3

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? Favorite--Purple. No can't stand colors.

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? Live with 7 cats

11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to all but ponchos

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? shawls, scarves

13. What are you knitting right now? 3 sweaters, slippers, cocoon jacket

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? Straight, bamboo

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes to both

17. How old is your oldest UFO? Oh, about 8 months

18. What is your favorite holiday? Thanksgiving

19. Is there anything that you collect? Recipes

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? No subscriptions. Lily Chin Manahattan patterns I really want

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I want to learn to make socks

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? Not yet. Foot about 9 inches

23. When is your birthday? (mm/dd) 08/27

Toastie Toes

These are sample slippers I made before trying to make them for my SIL. My toesies are nice and warm, which is good because it's going to get cold and I hear rumors of snow flurries. I have one of my SIL's slippers finished, but I'm thinking I should keep them too--you know, make another, better pair to send to her!

New Knitting Buddies

I'd like to introduce you to Mr. Norman Thibideux (top) and Miss Phoebe Thibideux, my new knitting buddies. They are shelter rescues, and though the shelter says they are littermates, I have my doubts. They're probably related, but I doubt if they are from the same litter.

Norman and Phoebe were found when their family moved and just left them behind (jerks). By the time they found Norman, one of his arms was crushed and paralyzed. Because there was no way to fix it, they amputated it. He gets along quite nicely, thank you very much.

Phoebe was very shy at first, but she has come around--especially after finding the wonderful world of toys. On her back she either has a white elongated heart shape--or the mothman image from the film The Mothman Prophecies.

I think I have it figured out

You know, I really didn't have a problem with the way the old blogger worked, but hey, far be it from me to stop progress. So, I went in and updated the template. Sheez, I lost all of my links and had a heck of a time figuring out how to reestablish them. Oh how I longed for HTML. OK, it took a while, but I found how to add back the links.

I have discovered that I have a problem finishing things. I have a sweater that only needs the sleeves done, and then I can put it together. But, I found--and started--another pattern. I need discipline.