Slow Sundays

Woody is giving you a great example of how he believes Sundays should be spent.  He is also showing off his new Spring shirt that highlights his broad manly chest and his slim hips.  Hard to believe that handsome man is going to be 12 next month.  Since it is Easter Sunday, the yarn shop was closed and I got to spend the day with the fur babies, the knitting, the coffee I so dearly love and the bazillion dust bunnies that have taken over my house.  

Now one would think, hey, day off, perfect for dusting, vacuuming, laundry, floor mopping.  As if!  Come on!  It is a free day, the sun is shining, it is cold but not brutal -- this is a day that has knitting written all over it.  Just ask the pugs.  When I awoke at 5 a.m. this morning (because apparently I am insane), they just kept snoring.  It is really sad when you have to wake dogs up to go for a potty break.  They reluctantly joined me for 

a jaunt outside, but felt no desire to meander through the darkened streets.  Nope, do the business and get back to bed -- that was their motto.  I figured I would start on the house (again, apparently I am insane) and skipped down the basement stairs (again, as if) to toss some laundry in while the coffee brewed.  All was fine until I sat down to sip that cuppa joe and then the knitting woke up and wiggled its yarny goodness at me, purring, that it so wanted to be a finished sock.  I have no willpower against yarny goodness -- none.  You will note that next to the reclining pug is a giant pug cup of coffee, a remote control and sock in progress.  So we can all figure out that I sat with the pugs and drank coffee and knitted that cashmere/merino blend into a sock of such softness, such allure, such yumminess.  Sigh!  The dust bunnies are still here, although I did get a couple loads of laundry done and it is garbage night so I'll drag that out to the curb soon -- as soon as I finish a couple more rows.  

Naturally, I did not sit all day and knit, I took the fur babies out for 2 walks around the block to sniff the snow and leave lots of pee-mail for their buds in the hood.  The boyz even had a peeing contest:  Ho-Tei pees on a spot, then Myoki pees on the same spot, then Woody pees in the same spot, then Ho-Tei pees on the same spot. . . .this will continue until I drag them away.  The funny thing is they wait while each one takes a turn.  Then when I walk the girls aka the honorary pugs, they sniff the spot and look at me like "man, those boyz are nasty, Mom."   Great, a day spent drinking coffee and knitting results in a post consisting of dog pee -- yeah, I do live on the edge.

I will leave you with this parting shot of almost the entire dog family -- Woody left as I was snapping the photo.  He, obviously, prefers not to share the spotlight.  Hope everyone had a great weekend.  Snuffles and snorts to you all.

I like snow, but. . . .

Woke up to another 8 inches of the white stuff this morning.  While I do like snow and winter (the better for knitting and wearing sweaters), when Spring arrives on the calendar, it would seem that Mother Nature would get the hint.   Apparently not.  The pugs were appalled at the reappearance of the cold, white stuff and refused to go outside.  Since this was the morning potty break, I got to stand ankle deep in the stuff and explain to the 3 little buggers that momma didn't want to clean up pee and poop this morning in the house.  I gave my best argument for the artistic excitement of creating yellow snow.  Can snow cause deafness in pug?  I think I can prove it does.

On the needles is the Montego Bay scarf (Interweave, Spring 2007) in a yummy cotton Noro (Sakora?) yarn that is green and pink and amazing.  The scarf is for the shop.  I've already made one in Hand Maiden Camel Spun and folks just go wild for it.  Go figure -- it is an easy pattern and a fairly quick knit.  The clapotis for the shop is still on my needles.  I'm doing that one in HandMaiden Sea Silk and it is gorgeous, if I may say so myself.  I should be knitting baby things for our clerk's baby that is due April 25, but I'd rather do socks and lace.  

My plain jane sock out of the amazing Sock Pixie cashmerino is still on the needles, which is a damn shame.  That is going to be one amazingly soft and beautiful pair of socks if I can ever get my ass in gear to finish.  In my defense, I have not been riding the rails to work this week, which severely cuts into my knitting time.

On pug news, Woody, the oldster, has decided that it is only possible for him to sleep if he is resting his chin on my face.  Yes, my face.  It is sooo sweet and yet also a tad uncomfortable, since in the best pug fashion, he does not allow me to move once he is comfortable.  So there I am trapped with his chin on my face while he loudly snores, usually in my ear.  Still, it is cute.  Ho-Tei and Myoki prefer to be under the covers in this cold weather, but of course, under the covers and on top of the momma.  No wonder my bones creak when I get up.  I end up sleeping in the oddest positions so as not to disturb the fur babies.   And, no, I would not dream of disturbing them.  Let's face it, I exist solely for their pleasure and to knit, the rest is just life's annoyances.

Happy Saturday.  Hope your knitting is to gauge, your coffee is hot and strong and you are surrounded by fabulous yarn and furry love babies.

Yes, I have a yarn problem. . . .

The fact that I have a part-time job working in my local yarn shop usually brings fits of giggles from those who know of my yarn addiction/knitting obsession.  While muggles may find this a perfect fit -- I like to knit, therefore I can sell yarn, the problem lies in the yarn fumes.  Within minutes of my arrival at work, I am completely and absolutely high on the yarn fumes and begin lusting for yarns -- Noro and Koigu come to mind.  So, there I was, putting away some Encore (nice yarn, but I am able to maintain my willpower in its presence) when over on the table some Noro wiggled its yarny self at me and hollered "hello knitter."  Oh my.  I tried, I really tried to be strong, to avoid its siren song and lovely hand, but to no avail.  Allow me to introduce you to my new friend, Noro Kochoran #44.  Yes, ahem, the entire bag.  The picture does not do it justice.  It is soooooo lovely and soft and I'm enchanted by its very being.   It might want to be a sweater or perhaps a lovely wrap.  Right now it is just going to sit on my desk and flirt with me.    Don't look at me that way -- you know you have yarn pets too. 

In more knitting news, currently on my needles is the Knitting Pure and Simple pullover.  It is obvious that I need brainless knitting these days.  Perhaps when the snow melts and the sun once again graces my life I will feel up to lace and charts and cables, but until then I am sticking with circular knitting.  It makes me happy and I am all about being happy.