Happy Blog-aversery to me! One year ago today I posted my first post, mostly because I was bored at work and didn't have anything to do. Hard to believe it's been a year. At that time I was still at my old office, the only one without a window. One year later I'm still in my same job, still without a window but at least at the new office none of my co-workers have one either! How's that for fair?!! lol

In the last year not that much has really changed for me. Same job, same house, same car, same husband (thank goodness) but I think my attitude has really changed. And I have to put some of that on my blog. It's been a good outlet for me as a place that I can write down what's going on and what my goals are. I'm looking forward to another year of blogging and general happiness. And I wish another year of happiness for all my friends and family! God bless everyone! Happy New Year!

Apparently I like to get a jump on my goals. Well, I'm getting a jump on my 2010 goals anyway. I started my pair of toe up socks.

Pattern: Azure Socks by Deb Barnhill

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Hand-painted in Make Beleive

Started: 12/26/09

These have been very challenging for me. It took quite a while for me to get the hang of the cast on to start at the toe and then the heel was heck and I had to rip back and redo a couple of times. So far I'm about 1/2 way through the first sock.

My 2010 Goals are up and are as follows:

1. Read all 10 books on the List of Top 10 Banned Books - 4/10 complete
2. Knit at least 1 pair of toe up socks
3. Knit something with Alpaca
4. Quilt the 3 quilt tops that I have finished
5. Finish piecing and quilt the Christmas wall hanging
6. Sew up the two clothing patterns that I bought
7. Start and complete at least one quilt out of the several that I have all the parts for all ready
8. Use up all the stashed sock yarn I have before buying anything new
9. Knit up the Heather Hoodie by Debbie O'Neill
10. Finish the 4 sweaters that I have as WIP's in my Ravelry queue. (Celeste, February Lady, Tuxedo Vest & Central Park Hoodie)

I think this list is totally do-able before the end of the year. Can't wait to see how far I it get by the end of the year. I put it on my side bar to help me keep track of my progress and not forget what I want to accomplish. I didn't do this last year and I feel like a lot of my goals got lost. But I'm totally ready to accomplish these 10 things.

My Last finished object of 2009, socks for Hubbs.

Pattern: Shur'tugal by Alice Yu

Yarn: Cascade Yarns Heritage Solid

Started: 12/17/09

Finished: 12/26/09

Merry Christmas Everyone! From my family to yours!

My library is so cool! I just found out that you can save a list of books that you want to read that way you don't have to go look them up when you're ready. They are already on the list and you can request them from the list. So very cool! Modern technology is best some times!

I have a bout 50 pages left in Uncle Tom's Cabin and then I'm moving on to Brave new world. This top 10 banned classics challenge is going to be really fun. I can't wait to move on to the next book. I've been bringing Uncle Tom's Cabin with me to work every day so I've been actually getting in a half hour of reading at work each day in addition to the reading I do at home at night. But the difference is that I don't' usually fall asleep while I'm reading at work. Ok, most of the time I don't fall asleep while I'm reading at work. It does happen that I doze off but only during my lunch break. And I always wake up before my break is over.

I've been knitting my fingers to the bone trying to finish Hubbs socks before the end of the year. I finished the 1st sock on Monday and cast on for the second, completing the cuff before it was bed time. Yesterday I got almost 2/3rds of the 2nd socks leg finished and am really hoping that I can finish it off this weekend. Not sure it that's going to happen or not since I do have Christmas stuff going on on Thursday night and Friday all day. Not sure what the plan is for Saturday and Sunday but I'm hoping that it includes knitting.

My back has been hurting me for some unknown reason since last weekend and now it's to the point where it hurts when I roll over at night and wakes me up. I'm living with it because what else can I do? But this morning was a total nightmare. After waking up every hour on the hour to roll over I'm awakened at quarter to 5 by the sound of Hubbs dog doing the puke noise IN OUR BED. Nothing wakes me up faster then the sound of an animal barfing. Ugh. Thankfully she didn't puke in the bed but she got the carpet in our bedroom and the carpet in the family room. I love that dog but sometimes I get so mad at her. Basically what caused her to vomit is that she chews up plastic that she finds God knows where in the yard and swallows the bits. Of course plastic in any ones stomach is not a good thing and she ends up puking. I wanted to kick her to Alaska this morning. But I refrained. Barely. By the time I finally got her out and all the puke and bits of plastic cleaned up Hubbs finally gets up and offers to help. I wanted to kick him to Alaska too but again, I refrained. Again, Barely. I love the man but good grief. I think it's just my lot in life to be the cleaner of puke at our house. At some point I'm going to have to accept it and quit fighting it. I hate being the cleaner of puke. Icky.

So anyway, hope your morning was better then mine. Now I'm off to work to see what kind of trouble I can get into there.

I'm now more then half way through Uncle Tom's Cabin and I'm really enjoying the book. It's hard to believe that this book was written during the time of slavery and by a free black woman. I guess the view I have of slavery in my mind is different then what she portrays in her book. The story line is great and it's interesting to see what happens to these poor people. Right now I'm just dying to find out if Uncle Tom does get to go back to the plantation where his wife and children are. Can't wait to see how it ends.

But knowing that I'm likely to finish this book very soon, I'm starting to think ahead to the next book. I have six books to choose from and I'm having a hard time deciding. My choices are Ulysses, Madame Bovery, Brave New World, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Moll Flanders and Candie. I don't really know anything about any of these books so I think I'm going to have to do some research to help me decide. Right now I'm leaning toward Brave New World just because I like the title. I know you shouldn't judge a book by the cover but what else do I have to go on right now?! lol

And now for another finished object.

Pattern: Primivera Socks by natalja

Yarn: Patons Kroy FX in Cameo Colors

Started: 12/10/09

Finished: 12/17/09

I cast on for another pair of socks in addition to the several other projects that I currently have on the needles. Hubbs actually asked for a pair of hand knitted socks, so I'm working on that for him. I took me a while to find a pattern that I thought wouldn't be too girly for him and that would have enough staying power that they wouldn't fall down if he wore them to work. I'm hoping to finish them before the end of the new year to bring my total for knitted socks to 19. My original goal was 12 so I think at 19 I'd pretty much accomplish my goal.

The only problem I have with knitting is that there are so many things that I want to knit and only so many hours in a day. If only I could afford to quit my job and knit all day.

This is my 100th post. My goal with the blog was to post once a week for the entire year. And while I didn't always post once a week I feel like I've made my goal since I did post 100 times (counting this one) and I still have a week to go before my blog-aversery. I started writing this on 12/31/08 and have been going strong for the last year. Out of the 10 or so goals I had for myself on 12/31 last year I think I've done well. I haven't stashed any yarn or fabric, I completed my sock challenge and I blogged. I think for me who never finishes anything has done pretty well.

So far my list for 2010 is as follows at this point: 1. Read all 10 books on the list of Top 10 Banned Books, 2. Learn to knit a toe up sock and 3. Knit something with Alpaca. My list is very short but I still have another week to decide (or not) to add something more to it. Hopefully I can come up with some more things because 3 things seems like an awfully short list to me. Is it sad that I can't come up with more things? I don't know but some times it's nice to have a short list instead of a long one that you know you wont be able to complete. So for now it's 3. Later it will be more.

Hubbs and I got to take off for the day yesterday and enjoy another day of snow wheeling. We headed off and meet up with some other club members and a few other friends for a day on Iron Mountain. The snow wasn't as great as it was last Monday but it was still a great day in the snow.

Hubbs and good friend Jason's Rigs. When I jumped out the snow was up to my thighs.

Pretty snow covered Bush. The snow looked like it was decoration for Christmas.

Pretty snow covered trees.

Hubbs was having a good time.

And then we got stuck. It was off camber and I have to admit that I got scared and had to get out. I'm really scared of the truck rolling over so when it gets off camber I get out.

I tried to ride Marlon's snow shovel down the hill since no one remembered to bring a sled for the kids (i.e. me).

The views were, of course, amazing.

And at the end of the day it was all topped off with a little lasagna, some garlic bread and some white wine.

It was a great day and I would have loved to stay out longer but as usual work got in the way. We had to come home and great ready for work today.

I'm still working on reading Uncle Tom's Cabin. I never seem to get more then 10 pages read before I drop off to sleep each night. I'm going to start taking the book to work with me so I can read it on the train in the morning and afternoon and also on my lunch breaks. Hopefully I can get a little further into the story. So far it's a great one. I'm not even 100 pages into it and all ready there has been a great escape by one of the main characters, Eliza. The other slaves and the lady of the farm are helping her escape by keeping the man that is looking for her off the roads by delaying his departure from the farm. Some of the hi jinks that the other slaves do to keep him from leaving is pretty funny. Seems like even though people at that time thought that slaves were stupid and unable to learn, these slaves are smarter then the slave hunter. They pull some pretty good practical jokes on him. Can't wait to see how it's going to turn out.

There has been knitting. I've finished up one sock and am about half way through the second sock. I'm sure I'll be posting up pictures of the 18th pair of socks that I've done this year.

Right now I'm also working on a list of things that I'd like to accomplish for the next year. The list is pretty short right now, but I'm hoping to have at least 5 things on the list before new years. I don't normally do new years resolutions but I think it's good for me to have a list of goals that I want to accomplish every year. Most of them are just for my personal betterment and are meant to challenge me. I never vow to lose weight (but it's always a goal) or to donate time or money. These are things I'd like to do but I need smaller goals. I like to think my list is also open ended. I can add goals as I go or decide that one isn't something that I want to pursue. I'll be sure to post my goals here. It helps keep me on track and honest about it, even though the only person I have to be honest about it with is myself.

I got it! Finally! The computers at the library finally came back on line yesterday and I was able to get my library card and the first book on my list of the Top Ten Banned Books. I choose Uncle Tom's Cabin by Herriet Beecher Stowe. The book is due back to the library on 12/30 and I'm hoping to finish it by then but if not, I'll have to renew it. I'm pretty excited about the book.

Proof of library card and book! (Yes I know I look terrible and am all mismatched but what do you expect for the day following a Metallica concert? For Pete sake, I didn't even start my day until noon! lol)

This last week has been a very eventful week so far. Monday we played hookie and went snow wheeling, Tuesday was Metallica (\m/, rock on baby!) and today we went out to lunch at BJ's Brewery. They brew their own beers and Hubbs and I got to try a couple of new beers. Hubbs likes the dark stuff and tried the Tatonka Stout and the PM Porter. I'm not much of a fan of dark beer so I went with Piranha Pale Ale and also tried a sample of the Nutty Brewnette. I think next time we go I'm going to get the Nutty Brewnette. It was really good but thick.

The beer was great and the food was awesome but the company was even better!

The food was sooo good at BJ's. I'd heard great things about it from friends but every time we go by there it's either packed or we're not hungry. We were actually headed to another restaurant when I suggested that we try it out. I figured it couldn't be that packed on a Wednesday at 1pm. Thankfully it wasn't packed. Hubbs got a BBQ steak sandwich that was really awesome. The beef was tender and the BBQ sauce was out of this world. Very tasty and tangy. I had the Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo. The chicken was really tender and the sauce was very creamy. Every thing was great and our server was awesome.

The last three days have been really good but sadly I'm back at work today. It's a one day work week for me since tomorrow is a furlough day. On one hand I'm glad that I only have to work 4 days a week but on the other losing a 25% of my pay sucks. If and when they decide to go back to a 5 day work week I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm loving being off at 3:30 everyday and getting to spend more time at home but I'm going to miss having that extra day off. Not sure what I'm going to do when that day comes but for now, I'm enjoying spending more time at home with Hubbs and having 4 day work weeks.

Metallica was awesome last night. My ears are still ringing! I'm not up to much today so enjoy my two grainy cell phone pics from the concert.

When we go there last night I went to grab my camera and realize that I left the battery pack on the counter at home. So mad! but at least I got a couple on my cell phone. Our seats were awesome and we could see the stage really well. It was so great. More later.

Hubbs and I decided to take an extra day off yesterday and headed up to the first snow of the season. We had a major storm roll in on Sunday and the area has been totally blanketed in snow. We had a few fat flakes here at our house that stuck for a while but is wasn't substantial. We're at about 23 feet above sea level here so we knew it wasn't going to be much. But it was enough for us to decide to play hooky from work and head for the mountains. This is the road in front of our friends house in Shingle Springs. Their house looked like a Christmas cottage with all the snow. I almost expected Mrs. Claus to greet me at the door with cookies and cocoa.

Winter Wonderland but there were trees down all over the place. There was so much snow in so short a time that it cracked huge trees, sending limbs and whole trees all over the place.

So pretty.

On the Second dam. The snow was just powder and up to my knees.

In my brand new jacket that we just bought on Saturday on a whim. Thank goodness we did, it was perfect.

Hubbs had a great time.

Nick found a huge mud hole under all that snow. Thank goodness for 4-wheel drive.

A bunch of rigs all lined up to help recover a vehicle that went off the road, rolled twice and landed (on its wheels) at the bottom of a 40 foot ravine.

Some blue sky that last for a bout 5 min's before it started to dump more snow on us.

Our rig.

I convinced Hubbs to shake a tree he was standing under. It resulted in a huge "avalanche" of snow off the tree that coated Hubbs and left him with a white goatee. It was too funny. I couldn't believe he went for it. I have to thank Nick for his participation in egging Hubbs to shake the tree. I don't think he would have done it if it had just been me.

Huge granite bolders covered in snow.

The sun setting behind a very snow tree.

It was a really great day. Totally worth staying home from work for. Tonight we're headed off to the Metallica concert. It's my first rock concert and I'm so excited for it. I just need to get in a nap this morning and then run some errands before Hubbs gets home at 4pm.

First Finished Object of December! Nutkin Socks

Pattern: Nutkin by Beth LaPensee

Yarn: Patons Kroy Stripes in Cascade Colors

Started: November 26, 2009

Finished: December 3, 2009

Mods: I did a standard toe instead of the toe that was called for in the pattern.

Now I'm off to work on my vest. Hopefully I can finish it this weekend and get it blocked.

First of all, isn't my local library cute?! It's the tiniest library I've ever seen. Super cute.

I know the question that's on everyones mind is whether or not I actually got the card. I didn't. But!!! I have a very good excuse. Their computers were down today so I have to come back. I'm hoping that they will be back up tomorrow otherwise I will have to wait until Friday to try again. I'm not sure I can wait that long!

In other good news, I took my car in to get a smog done on it today. I don't normally take it myself. One of the reasons that I got married was so that I wouldn't have to deal with automotive stuff or take out the trash. lol But really Hubbs normally takes care of this kind of thing for me since it stress me out really bad. Hubbs had to work late today so I had to handle it myself like a grown up girl. Thankfully my old girl passed her smog test with flying colors and now I can pay the state the crazy fees they charge to keep her on the road. Dang old DMV. But at least it's handled! Go me!

Ok Folks! I signed up to get a library card this morning. I will have to go to the library tomorrow to pick it up but I was able to request Uncle Tom's Cabin this morning. I can't wait to get it and start reading. It will be my first book in my challenge to read the top ten most banned books. I'm not sure how long I'll have to wait to get the book but I guess I'll have to check back to see if it's arrived at my local library. Hopefully it wont take too long. Other then high school kids that are required to read the book, I don't see this as a book that too many people will want to read. But I could be wrong. I haven't read it so I won't know until I do! I can't wait!

Is it weird that I'm so excited about a book? A really old book? Wait, why am I asking? I know I'm weird. ;)

I've almost finished Under the Dome by Stephen King. I've got about a quarter of the book to go and I guess it's time for me to start thinking about getting a Library card to start on challenge of reading the top 10 most banned books. Hopefully those books are still available at my library. I've been thinking about adding them to my Wish List on Amazon and just buying them but I'm not sure I want to spend the money on books I might never read again. The library has a catalog that is available on line and you can order the book from anywhere in the system and have it sent to the local library. I think that's going to be my best bet and if they don't have a book then I'll look at ordering it.

Right now my list of weekend chores just keeps getting longer. I was hoping for a quiet time at home knitting but it looks like I have a ton to do. I need to clean the house, do laundry, grocery shop, attend nephews 2nd birthday party, go to the library...and I'm sure there are a few other things that I need to get done too. At least I can start some of it, like the laundry, tonight. Only one more day of work before I can stay home and get stuff done there. Too bad I haven't figured out a way to be a stay-at-home wife. All I need is just one $100 million dollar winning lottery ticket! Anyone got one they don't need?!

Thanks everyone for your kind comments for my coworker. My boss stopped by the hospital yesterday afternoon to check on her on his way from one office to another. He said she was all drugged up but doing very well. It was a kidney stone that caused all the problems. She's home now and resting comfortably. I'm so thankful this morning that it wasn't something worse. This poor woman has been through a lot with her family in just the last year and a half that I've known her. I'm sure every ones positive thoughts did her a world of good. The power of prayer is amazing.

I wish I had some camping pictures to share with you but my batteries died in my camera while we were camping and I didn't get any. It snowed 3 inches on Friday and it was beautiful. There was no wind so the snow just came straight down and covered everything. Thank goodness that we were in the 5th wheel otherwise I would have frozen my tushy off! My poor dogs didn't quite know what to do with themselves and were running all over in the snow and rolling it it. They loved walking around and we even allowed our troubled child, Rex, to be off leash for most of the trip. There was no one else in the campground other then our group and my dogs were the only ones there so it was ok.

Stolen from Deanne. Thanks, Deanne!

The above picture was after it snowed the first day. It really wasn't all that cold but the fire really helped. All and all the trip was really good. It was fun to hang out with some old friends and make some new ones. Sadly this is the last trip in the 5th wheel for winter. Now it's just day trips to the mountains for snow wheeling. I'm going to miss the trailer but all I have to do is be patient and spring will be here before I know it.

What a very scary morning. My poor coworker got taken away in the ambulance this morning. She came in like normal but about an hour after she got here she had a very intense pain in her left side that started in her back and radiated into her groin. She was so out of it with the pain that she was literally rolling around and talking non-sense. The worst part was not being able to do anything for her. I did my best to comfort her and tried to comfort her husband over the phone and give directions to the hospital.

By the time that they got her out of the office and into the ambulance I was very shaken. Visibly shaken. I can only hope and pray that she will be alright.

Hope the rest of the day is better then this morning.

Finished Objects:

First a pair of mitts to keep my hands warm in the morning before my car warms up enough to prevent me from freezing to death (OK, fine. It's not that cold but I hate being cold and it makes me grumpy) and in the office where they set the thermostat at temperatures only someone having a hot flash would think is appropriate. I admit that I'm cold blooded. Between the winter temperatures and the air conditioning in the summer, I freeze.


Pattern: Cabled Fingerless Mitts by Joelene Wiggins
Yarn: Cascade Yarns Jeweled Hand Dyed in Red
Started: 11/23/09
Finished: 11/24/09
Mods: Added an extra repeat of the band at the top of the glove and the thumb to make it a bit longer. I have very long fingers and need extra length.



Pattern: Robin's Egg Blue Hat by Rachel Iufer
Yarn: Cascade Jeweled Hand Dyed
Started: 11/21/09
Finished: 11/22/09
Mods: Only knitted the sides of the hat for 4 inches instead of the 5 to 5.5 inches the pattern called for. I think I would have liked the hat better if I had only done 3 inches instead of the 4 I did but I'm too lazy to go back and red0 it, so it is what it is.

Both of these patterns were very simple to follow and easy to knit. I enjoyed them very much.

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Mine was pretty uneventful, had dinner with the In-laws and as usual enjoyed every ones company. The party was very small this year, just Hubbs and I, Sister-in-law and her 2 year-old son and Mom & Dad. Turkey was eaten and desserts were enjoyed (even if SIL did steal my chance at making my first homemade pumpkin by out from under me. lol)

Hubbs and I are off for our semi-annual post thanksgiving camping trip with the car club. We're going to be camping out up in the Sierras and rumor has it that there might be snow tonight! So excited! Thankfully it's RV camping and we'll have our heater since I'm such a wimp when it comes to cold. I have all my cold weather gear packed including my silk long johns and snow boots. I'm hoping that I survive! Wish me luck! I'm sure that I'll be back with lots of good stories and good pictures to share next week! God Bless!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

So in an effort to learn to do some of things on my 10 on Tuesday list I bought some patterns. Who knew patterns were so dang expensive?! Thankfully the fabric store was having a sale and they were only $2. I do love a good deal.

Simplicity 2550, bodice A

Simplicity 5914, view B

I'm going to do my best to make both of these. Hopefully they aren't so far ove my head that I can't do it. I know I can get sewing support from my mom over the phone when I need it but it's not the same as having her here. Hubbs and I are actually taking off on Friday and going on our annual camping trip with our car club but now I'm kinda wishing I could stay home and make one or both of these to wear next week to work!

Yikes, I just pulled the pattern out of the envelope just to look at it and it's all ready scary! Somebody hold me!! I'm sure if I just take it one step at a time I can do it. It might now come out perfect but in the end I'm sure I'll have at least something that looks kinda like it's supposed to! lol! Wish me luck!

10 on Tuesday....

10 things you wish you knew how to do:

1. I wish I knew how to play my mandolin. I bought it earlier this year and have put no effort into learning to play it what-so-ever. Embarrassing.

2. I wish I knew a couple different kind of cast on's for knitting. It would be nice to pick up a different technique.

3. I wish I knew how to fix cars. Then maybe mine wouldn't be falling apart all the time and I wouldn't have to rely on someone elses time table to get it fixed.

4. I wish I knew how to fly. Then I wouldn't need a car! lol

5. I wish I knew how to either be a stay at home mom or just work from home. I hate having to leave the house every morning in the freezing cold to drive into a cold office where I spend most of the day thinking about being at home.

6. I wish I knew how to teleport. I'd love to spend more time with my family and if I could teleport it would be so much easier then driving 2 hours one way.

7. I wish I knew how to have a positive attitude more often. This one I'm working on. I smile even when I don't want to and it helps me feel better.

8. I wish I knew how to lose weight and keep it off with off without out having to make any effort to do so. Miracle pill anyone?

9. I wish I knew how to get my neighbors to understand that their dogs barking all night long is a problem.

10. I wish I knew how to sew clothes. I think this is one I can work on.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

I recently came across a list of the top 10 banned books (found here: http://classiclit.about.com/od/ladychatterleyslover/tp/aatp-ban.htm ).
1. Ulysses
2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
3. Madame Bovary
4. The Scarlet Letter
5. Uncle Tom's Cabin
6. Of Mice and Men
7. Brave New World
8. Lady Chatterley's Lover
9. Moll Flanders
10. Candide

My new resolution is going to be to read all of these books. So far I've already read Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Scarlet Letter, and Of Mice and Men and I read them all with in the last year. I think Ulysses is going to be the hardest one to get through so I have a feeling that one is going to be saved for last. I'm wondering if I can even get Lady Chatterley's Lover at the library or not. I'm scared to even as for it. This is going to be a challenge but I'm totally up for it. It's only 7 books in 12 months, well 13 since no one said I have to wait until after the new year to start. Due date to be finished is 12/31/10. I'll be sure to keep my sidebar updated with my current read. I'm going to have to finish the HUGE Mark Twain that I'm currently reading before I can go on to anything else. Not to mention the new Stephen King that I just bought that's sitting on my night table. So much reading and so many books but so few hours to read.

One of my current knitting projects:

Pattern: Mina's Tuxedo Vest by Wendy Bernard from the book, Custom Knits by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Cascade 220 in 4002 (black heather)
Started: 11/06/09

I started this in a medium on size 6 needles, got down to the point to try it on (same stage as the above pictures) and it was two sizes to large. It was huge. I think Hubbs could have worn it easy it was so big. So I had to rip back and start from scratch all over again. Thankfully when I tried it on again, it fit perfect. The pattern is written for it to be a vest with 3 buttons up the front in a cardigan style. I'm doing the pull over option. I love this and it's a really easy knit.

I still haven't given up on the two other projects I've got on the needles. The Central Park Hoodie is blocked and I just need to seam it to start on the hood. The Celeste is on hold for right now. I'm not really enjoying the pattern too much but in typical fashion I will finish this. I can't leave something unfinished plus I hate to waste money on yarn that never gets made into something.

I'm hoping that I'll soon have at least one finished object to show you! Fingers crossed!