Happy New Year

This year we've decided to celebrate New Year's with the English. Midnight in London falls just about 7pm here in PA and we've invited some young friends to come over. For the menu I've chosen to have High Tea (no, it doesn't involve illegal substances, which reminds me of a story....but I digress).
I went shopping! Some of the foodstuffs were already in the pantry but I picked up a few things at the local mega-grocery. We're also having shepherd's pie (not with real shepherd), Welsh rarebit, and trifle. The family we're inviting know none of these things. In fact the wife asked what she could bring and I suggested shortbread and she had no idea how to make it or what it was. Bwa-ha-ha! I've gotten out Wallace and Gromit, Gilbert and Sullivan, and found the BBC on the internet radio. Can't wait! Guess I'd better whip up a tea cozy for the big teapot!





On the knitting front: I've been working away on The Brother's sweater. The yarn is Lion Woolease (I know, but it's machine washable and that counts for a lot!) The pattern is from a 1987 Woman's Day 101 Sweaters. The size is........Large, very large. It's taken 3 weeks to knit just the back. Eventually it will be a cardigan with a shawl collar. Let's hope he gets it before March.

Warning: Cuteness ahead!!

This is New Baby in his Viking Hat! Such a punim! One of the best parts of having a new baby to spoil is making silly hats for him to wear. I have my eye on a special something for his first birthday (I may even design it myself). Yarn is left overs (I think the horns and grey part are Woolease and the brown is Patton's). It was from an on-line pattern and I knit it on size 3 circs.

Next time the New Year resolutions. I've been looking at several bloggers' and will give you mine by Monday. Have a safe New Year's Eve.

Helping out

If you have been listening to Lime n Violet (and if not, why not? Go to the site and listen! Now!) you know that Miss Violet needs a little help with some medical bills. One of the people offering to help is Lisa Souza. She has come up with a colorway of hand-dyed (!) yarn called Violet's Pink Ribbon. Every time someone orders this yarn some money goes into Miss Violet's medical fund. Not only that, but I put my order in this evening, yes Christmas Eve (see previous post for why I didn't have anything better to do than surf the net) and Lisa e-mailed me within 15 minutes that she had put my yarn in the queue to be dyed.
Now that 's dedication! I'm sure Lisa had something better to do than check her business mail and yet she took out time to let me know she had received my order and, get this, she thanked me for ordering to help Miss Violet!
Now go and order!

Bemusement

Some rather......odd....things happened in school yesterday, and I thought I'd get your take on them. Please believe that I know the people involved had only the best intentions but.....well, you judge.
One of the teachers (a lovely person, always very kind) told me that he/she (to protect the innocent) is "honored" to know me. Now comes the......odd....part. Honored, not because I am a fine and dedicated teacher or a really nice person, but because I am......wait for it...... one of the Chosen People. I said, "Um, Thank you?" and tried to change the subject. When I told the family at dinner, they had a sort of stunned look on their faces and then they laughed (thank G-d I didn't laugh at school, he/she would have been so hurt). Really, it's kind of like being honored to know someone because they have red hair. Being Jewish is just what I am. How I act is a result of that, true, but I could be a nasty "Chosen Person". They do exsist. Just like the occasional nasty Christian, Buddist, Hindu, etc.
In another occurence, an aide (again one of the sweetest people I know) gave me a pair of mitten Christmas Tree ornaments that were knit for me because I am such a good knitter. The kicker was that the mittens had: red ("For the blood of our Savior"), green ("For everlasting life") and white ("For His purity") stripes on them. Now, I don't do a tree at all. No whining, it's just not something we do Chez Needletart. The most stunning statement was, "I know you must belive in Our Lord because of the way you treat the children." Um.....No? Really. Jewish. Totally. (and this person knows I am Jewish, we had talked about my Temple and Rabbi). I couldn't crush this sweet person, so I just said, "Thank you?" again.
Now for the question. Did I do the right thing? Should I have (as gently as possible) educated these people? I know they meant well, they really did. Should I just leave them wandering around in this state? I sort of figured that it's the holiday season and why confuse them, but what if they come out with this sort of thing to someone who is less patient?
Just for the record: I am one of the Choosing People. G-d gave me a brain and the choice to follow His laws. Every time I choose to be kind, I am following His laws. When I am nasty, it's my fault and I should correct it. As for Jesus, nice boy, good Rabbi, possibly the best person that ever lived. The Messiah? Not so much.

Hello! My Name is Needle Tart....

I have a problem. I am addicted to solitare. Even if I win a game, I keep playing until I use up all the money I have "won". Then of course, I just know I can win the next one, and the next, until I look at the clock and two hours of my life are gone (and it's usually one in the morning). Normally, this isn't much of a problem (?!), but that's two hours I could be knitting, blogging, or sleeping. All things that should be done. I've sworn off a few times, but when I'm baking, there are those few minutes between batches and my hands are too dirty to knit..... Just for today, I will not play.

On the knitting front, I have finished a few projects.

These are Dino Mite Mittens from Interweave Knits, Winter 1997. They are so darn cute! They have everything! Short rwo shaping (for the neckon the blue one), pick up stitches and knit (for the spines on the gold one), i-cord, bobbles (yeeechh! Bobbles! I hate bobbles). Knitted in the round with Phildar Laine 51 on size 1 bamboo needles.

I am going to send them to Great Nephew #1 for his birthday (come to think of it, that was a few days ago, where was I? Ohh! See above.) along with the Dinosaur Counting Book. Think this will go over with a 4 year old? His sister is getting Cinder Edna and a pair of slippers, as soon as they are knit.

Also finished in spite of that pesky computer problem (Elder Child refers to that game as Chim-Chim, the monkey on my back) :



These are Fetching from knitty. I love them! The cable at the wrist! Cashmere! Ohhhh! However, they are a gift for a young friend of mine. I think I knit them on size 5 steel needles from two skeins of Cashmere from Fantasy Yarns (AC Moore, which sees to have the best variety of yarn in the area). They are soft and comfy and, well, I had better get them in the mail soon, or they will not go at all.


On the Sub-Season front, I realize it has been two weeks since I posted. I worked one full week (really, how do you do it?) and three days the second week. I could have worked more, but the second grade I had said, "Mrs. G, you sound funny when you breathe." Time to go home, sit down, and use the emergency inhaler. Funny thing, if I have enough free days to make it to the pool at least twice in a week , I can breathe much better. It was that five days in a row that seems to have done me in. The Husband has even agreed that he would be willing to make dinner on days I work, so I can make it to the pool for evening hours, and he can still get to bed by seven (he gets up at three in the AM to get to work on time).How could I ever replace him?

I plan to post again before the big holiday season is over (down Chim-Chim!!) but just in case, may you have food to eat, people you love, and a place to sleep.
Happy Holidays!