Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Merry Post Christmas everyone.  Hope you all had wonderful days filled with love and laughter and great joy.  I brought Mom home for a Christmas Eve celebration.  She requested and I complied with a feast of broast chicken (for her and the dogs and cats), potato salad, shrimp and egg nog.  They were all quite full and happy.  I was very pleased with my favorite potato salad sandwich (like egg salad only better) and a bit of Christmas Ale.  She opened her gifts, the dogs showered her with love, snuggles and lots of kisses and we had a leisurely drive back looking at all the lovely Christmas lights.  The only downside was that she was coming down with a terrible cold that included a hacking cough.

For Christmas and the day after, I did my favorite thing:  holed up in the house with good books, lots of knitting and my fur babies.  There was snuggling and napping and long walks through the 'hood (in my pjs, of course).  In fact, if I didn't have to go to work today and tomorrow, I'd probably just stay in and continue the retreat.  

I think my preference for solitude and quiet comes from being an only child.  People who require lots of noise, company and action puzzle me, in much the same way my preference for solitude confounds them.

For those who bet -- I did not finish any of the last minute Christmas gifts.  I warned you.  But looking at the bright side, I have a head start on Christmas 2009!

There are no pictures today, but honestly, me in 3 day old pjs, bad bed hair and in desperate need of a bath just isn't a good idea.  No worries -- I'm hopping into the tub and getting ready for work in a few.  I'll be squeaky clean and fairly presentable in no time at all.

In the meantime:  Happy Saturday.  The fur babies and I send you lots of snuggles and snorts and kisses.  Enjoy!

Happy Holidays!

Finally, the holidays have arrived.  While this year is incredibly low key for me, still, a couple of days for sleeping in late with the fur babies, knitting that is not on a deadline and possibly even for me (whoa!!!) and naps -- I love naps!  

Apparently, I am not the only one who loves a good nappy:

With Mom living in a nursing home this Christmas, I didn't do any decorating, baking or wrapping.  The last being a bit of a problem at this late date.  I will be shoving things in gift bags this afternoon.  I did a bit of "green" wrapping by putting some of my knitted goodies in tins that could be re-used for cookies/storage/whatever.  The dollar store is my new favorite place (thanks Sheepy for turning me on to the joy that is the dollar store).

While the pugs (and honorary pugs) softly snore, I must prepare to brave the icy roads to go earn the $$ for dog food, dog beds and yarn.  (Note the order -- I know better than to think I could possibly come before the dogs!!!!)

Anyway, hope you all have a fabulous holiday full of fun, love and utter joy.  We send you snuffles and snorts.

brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Baby it is cold outside!  Even the doglets rushed through their morning constitution.  Wind blowing, snow swirling, me turning a lovely shade of icy blue -- must be Monday!  

So Christmas week is here.  Yes, I am still knitting.  No, I won't be done in time.  Yes, I intend to keep knitting because I am delusional.

Yesterday at the shop was fun, although many of the regulars weren't there -- missed you!  We had lots of laughs and knitting, admiring finished projects and fondling yarn in anticipation of upcoming projects.  It was all good.

Last night I cast on Toasty -- fast knit fingerless mitts.  I am almost finished with the first one.  Hope springs eternal.  Photos may follow. . . 

Have a fabulous Monday.  Stay warm.

Sunday Morning

A cold and lightly snowy Sunday morning.  Perfect for knitting, dog snuggling and hot, yummy coffee.  Yeppers, life is good.  As you can see, the doglets are enjoying their cozy dog bed.   (Don't tell Lotus she is not a pug, she was raised by Ho and Myoki and truly thinks she is a pug.)

I am sipping my java from the famous Starbucks cabled knit mug and working on one of those several fingerless mitt gifts I think I can get done by Wednesday (shut up). 

All while being supervised by her Supreme Royal Highness Kali Ma.  

All-in-all, a perfect Sunday morning.  In a few hours, I'll be off to work in yarny paradise.  Yep, it is all good.

Yeah for Saturdays

There is ice on the ground and the holidays are right around the corner.  Being a stable, reasonable human, I decided last night that I really need to knit up 2 hats and 4 pair of fingerless mitts to give as gifts.  Factoring in working all weekend and Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, I believe in order to pull this off:

1.  The yarn must be super bulky and the needles huge.

2.  I'm going to need lots and lots of coffee.

3.  Sleep is not an option.

4.  It would be helpful if the pugs had thumbs and could knit.

Any wagers on my successfully pulling off this last minute knitting?  (Hint:  knowing me as I do, don't bet on the successful completion).  Heh.  

Oh yeah, forgot to mention that I have a holiday party tonight and a knitting get together on Monday.  Well, the knit together will help with the completion, but the holiday party -- not so much.

Yeah, I do this every year.  I also wait until November to start holiday knitting.  Why?  I don't know.  Just happens that way.  Sort of my personal holiday tradition.  Traditions are important.

Speaking of traditions:

Every year I go to the Crown Classic Dog Show at the IX Center.  In fact, that is where I met the lovely Mimi and her mom Caryl.  This year was fabulous as always.  Above is Mimi and her uncle Kaze showing their stylish side.  Both dogs competed in agility again this year and did extremely well, but their true talent is making people smile.  The minute they appeared in their festive holiday wear, a huge crowd enveloped them and every one in the crowd had a huge grin on their faces.  Now that's talent.

Well, off to fiber nirvana.  Happy knitting and have a warm and loving day.

Some Folks Just Don't Get It

This is Mimi.  She is my niece and I adore her.  She is also a very talented dog -- confirmation, rally, agility -- she does them all.  And yet, she does them in fabulous pug style (translation:  only if she feels like it). 

Those of us fortunate enough to share our lives with pugs know that pugs are special.  They often don't listen, they think kitty poop is a cookie, they consider furniture their personal chew toy and they love us and pretty much everyone they meet with every fiber of their being.  This last part being what makes them absolutely irresistible to us.  After reading the comments experienced by fellow-pug lover and blogger, The Misadventures of Pug(s) and Bugg, I have to join the troops of pug-defenders.  Pugs are not herders, guarders or sporters.  In fact, pugs are not really dogs.  They are marvelous fur-wrapped creatures who delight, infuriate and keep us grounded in what fun life can be all the time, if you are a pug.  Ho-Tei, Myoki and Woody make Dixie and gang look positively well-behaved and perfectly trained and I wouldn't have it any other way.  I say pug lovers and pug humans unite and defend our furry pals' right to be who they are -- PUGS.

To those who are appalled by the (mis)behavior of pugs:  Get Over It.   To the pug moms and dads and pug fans out there -- Brudabaker and his humans have come up with the Dog Disobedience Award.  My posse is planning some extra special pug behavior in the hopes that they will be awarded this prestigious award.

Happy Friday.  Hug your pugs and non-pug furry babies, enjoy the day.  Life is far too short to behave all the time.