Hey, Hey, They Say It's My Birthday!

First phone call rolled in at 12:02 a.m. - Travis' mother, wanting to be the first to wish me happy birthday. Then at 7:30, Mom rang from some other part of the world - Turkey? - and was horrified when I answered the phone, as she'd intended to leave a message, having no idea what time it was here. (She got lucky - I was already stirring...though not in any way coherent.)

Did I give any stats on my belt? I didn't....it was knit in Noro Silk Garden Lite on size...um...seven?...bamboo Takumis (and Kaethe, that was the belt in progress, looking rather like a snake.) Oh, and it was way too long, as it turns out - stretched itself out throughout the day and the looped-through end wound up wrapped around almost to my back.

I'm working on something for myself for my birthday, and I'm hoping to have it finished in time. Did someone say the Odessa hat is a quick knit? So am I just a special-needs knitter? Maybe it's the 110 stitches - hats to me are not meant to be knit in DK weight. But it's turning out beautifully in Cashcotton - not Cashsoft...erm, oops...but I don't think Doni carries Cashsoft anyway. She was, however, in a good mood on Friday, and she let me escape with a couple of older Interweave and Vogue Knitting issues for $3 each.

Oh, and Doni's summer hours also allow for "Special Appointment" times. My God, the idea of having the closed shop open just for me to purchase whatever suits me....I need to have a little lie-down. Hang on.

Okay, here's some big news - I built a Real spindle. (Yes, I was just kidding with the silly DPN-and-Sculpey spindle of a few weeks ago.) I also ordered a bit of batt from Pure Knits. I'll probably need to shave a few inches off of this thing, but it seems pretty well-balanced, so I'm leaving it as-is for now. I'm anxious to receive my order and start spinning!



Oh, and sleeping with the skein of sock yarn I added to the order...by the way, Pure Knits has a 500-plus yard skein of 100% cashmere sock yarn for $30. Consider yourself enabled. I'll be making super-short ankle socks and a matching scarf. And if there's a bit of yarn left over from all the stuff I knit for me (ha), there will be baby socks.

I also picked up a charcoal-coloured skein of Greenwood sock. Finally, Travis will know the joy of the Greenwood sock. Oh, and yes, I did only last two weeks on my sock yarn ban. But let's be honest, that was 13 days longer than we all figured I would last.

Also, Destash is the greatest site ever. Other's people's trash stash is my treasure. So far, I've picked up three skeins of Art Fibers tussah silk (in an AMAZING colour) and some Addi Turbos for a steal, plus the six skeins of Debbie Bliss I just nabbed for $18, and the two skeins of Malabrigo for $5 each....I LOVE that place.

I've just been presented with a tall glass of iced milk and a chocolate-chunk-and-banana pancake from scratch. Birthday breakfast is shaping up nicely....[I taught him everything he knows....I'm so proud. (*sob*) No seriously...the man could barely boil water. Now look at him. (*sob sob*)]



I felt like including a photo of my family...this is from last weekend, at Travis's sister Danielle's middle school graduation. (I was confused by that idea, but I went along with it.) Travis, his MOTHER (I know, she looks younger than I do) and his little sister. Ain't they so PRETTY?

*Update: That pancake was closely followed by a plate of apples and brie...and the declaration that an apple pancake would be next. And thanks to the hardwood floors, I can hear him singing and dancing in the kitchen. (Or something caught fire and he's panicking.)