Lucky

You seriously have to love a man who cleans the kitchen AND makes coffee while you sleep in.

Showing Off

This is just a little post for all of my non-ravelry readers (non-knitters) because I know they like a good reveal as much as the next person. These pictures are of a couple of projects that went of to a couple of favorite people in some little surprise packages. I know first hand the joy of opening up a package and thinking, " All of those stitches! For me?" and the joy of making each stitch just for someone special.

Silk Seed Stitch Cowl

Alpaca/Silk Ruffled Scarf

Wise Decisions

Today dawned bright with promise and sunshine in the way that only a paid holiday really can. After a bit of cleaning and opening of the windows (I told you there was sunshine) I took a little walk around the yard. Even in the new light of early (very early) spring, the yard still looks very... wintery. The unwelcome mulch of leaves and brown plants covers mostly everything, and blackberries are slouching about all over the place. Windblown branches and bits of wood from the woodpile are strewn about in a most untidy way. The outdoors needs a bit of spring cleaning. I chose instead to enjoy the promising green buds pushing through the brown mulch. I chose to admire the way the sun (the sun!) made sparkles in the very green, albeit overgrown grass. Try not to judge me too harshly.

God, I love This Woman

There are two bookstores in my little town. No small miracle considering the aforementioned lack of any decent grocery stores. However, both of these bookstores are really quite fabulous actually; one being full of stairs and nooks and attached to not only a really good bakery, but also to a pub. The other bookstore is neat and clean and extremely well organized, and it has a cat. Normally, I prefer my bookstores to be a bit more cluttered and filled with piles. You know, as if you never quite know what you might stumble upon. This bookstore has no clutter, but it has the redeeming feature of a wonderful proprietor. She is knowledgeable, and talkative, but not in an annoying way, and asks open ended questions that encourage you to talk, which may explain why she seems to know everything about every book, ever. I visited both stores today. I was looking for a cookbook, but as you might well imagine, Mastering the Art of French Cooking cannot be found for less than $40 anywhere. Go figure. I did however find The Big-Ass Cookbook (and Financial Planner)( It was filed in the cookbook section, and so was obviously not found at the well organized store) by Jill Connor Browne.

God, I love this woman. I do not think that I can begin to explain to you how this woman changed my life. Every time I read, or re-read one of her books I wonder how I lived without her. I am so, so relieved that when my best girl Cassi Mae said to me, "Go out tomorrow, and buy her book." I did it. And so should you. All of her books are perfect actually, but if you start out with, say, the Sweet Potato Queen's Book of Love, you will understand, for example, why everyone is called Tammy, which is kind of important. I always think that I will be able to explain why this woman has had such an impact on me, and thousands of other people, but I never can. You just have to read it for yourself. So go! Buy the Book of Love, or any other book you can get your hands on. You will not regret it.

What a Woman Wants

So, not having seen the movie, I am reading Julie and Julia. I have heard that Amy Adams is saccharine sweet in the role of Julie, and I just want you all to know that the Julie in the book is not particularly sweet. She is in fact, very real, and dirty mouthed, and rather naughty. I like her a lot. She also has a fascination with Buffy the Vampire Slayer to which I can relate and as a result, all I want to do is sit and watch old Buffy episodes and knit. I have, at the moment exactly 5 projects that I want to be knitting. Simultaneously. And not for the first time it occurs to me how handy it would be to have eight arms like that goddess. Shiva, I looked it up. The Hindu goddess also called, "The Auspicious One." I'll take it.

Now we all know that what a woman wants is a supernaturally long life, unfading beauty, boundless funds, a beautiful man who is completely devoted to us, a loving family, and the ability to protect the ones we love from all harm, forever. Oh, and not having to sleep would be great too. We know this because of the seemingly infinite popularity of the Twilight series, not just with the screaming teen masses, but also with their mothers and aunties. Anyone who thinks this craze is all about that Pattinson kid is a moron. I dare them to read the last book of the series and tell me that Stephanie Myers didn't reach right into the female mind and dredge up her impossible dreams. But barring that, I'll take eight arms.

Sunny Day

Today was a sunny day here in Oregon. It may not sound like much; but a sunny day in the middle of winter in Oregon is like a present all unwrapped, and we all walk around outside and smile at each other. So that is what we did. My sweet husband and I walked in the morning all over the town; drinking coffee, and talking. Then later, my little Maddie and I walked down for ice cream after school and I listened while she talked.

And we met a little girl in the park who was not really a little girl but instead was a mama, and she had two babies with her, one was 2 and the other only 1 year old. But she was so young. She was at that part where you are staying at home with your babies, and they are not in school yet, and all you do is just be a mom, and you don't really know how, and you can't remember how to do anything else, and it is precious and terrifying, and feels as if it will never end. But it does, too soon. She seemed lonely, and I wanted to be her friend, so that she would remember what it was like to be a person and a mama at the same time. And then I thought maybe she hadn't had much time to be a person yet anyway, being so young. Would that make it harder or easier? I am still not sure. But I have her number, and she has mine and we will see. Is that strange?