Some days it doesn't pay to not be a nervous knitter. I decided several months ago what I was knitting mom for Christmas. The fiber trends felted clogs. I didn't start them in a timely fashion. I didn't figure they'd be very hard. Turns out they might be the most techincally difficult thing I've ever knitted. I never read the pattern you see. I just looked at the picture and thought "Cool! I must own this pattern." I hadn't been knitting very long. They involve short rows. I'd never done short rows. Well I have on my Circular Sock Machine.. but that's different. Anyhow it looks like they're turning out on attempt #4. We'll see. I've never gotten to the toe shaping part on any of the earlier attempts.

They aren't taking terribly long to knit which I sort of projected, but they're taking a lot more mental power than I had planned. Which means they aren't good TV knitting, or talking knitting, or working knitting or any other sort of combined activity knitting. Maybe I'll have one done and one on the needles for Christmas.

Space Invaders Slippers. I created these just because I noticed the little guys would work for colorwork pretty easily. Well that's why I charted them. But my friend Matt got all excited when he saw them. Unlike anybody else I'd shown them to. So here they are. Knit just for him. I'll be mailing them in the next day or two.

Thank You Secret Santa!

Hold the phone on my dull day. I went out to the mailbox, and what did I find? The gift from my Secret Santa! Now I must play the CD before bed. So much for getting to sleep early tonight.

Some days I feel guilty for not posting more often. Then I try and go post. Well to do that today I'd not have much to say. This morning I saw the most amazing sun dogs. Huge arcs in the sky. Then work was ok. I came home and we went and got ice skates for my niece and nephew. Then I realized that I should felt the slippers I'd finished weeks ago if I wanted to mail them before the holidays actually arrived. So that's what I'm doing now. My life is soo exciting!

Well Chilly and I went trap shooting again. This time we took along Shaun. I could not manage the miracle of last time, where I could clearly see the clay and not the sights. I was ALL about looking at the sights. Nothing, nothing would go right. I hit 8 both rounds.

I actually hit better when I called for the bird with my eyes closed then opened them and tried to find it in the sky somewhere. Maybe I'll try starting with the gun higher on the house next time.

Yesterday betsy found a roomba on craigslist. Today I went and got it. It is currently circling the basement on our nice new floor. It seems to be doing a pretty good job of not getting stuck. It did get caught under the sofa on the back side once. I freed it, now it's bumping it's way up and down the hallway. The dogs don't even notice it. I haven't seen the cat encounter it yet. Once it's done I'll empty it's little bin and see what it picked up. It probably won't have found much since we've been keeping our new floor sort of obsessively clean.

New FLOOR!

Well the floor is in. Carolyn, Deanna, Nate and Jess all showed up today to help me install. Carolyn and Deanna had the early shift, Nate and Jess the late. Yesterday it was Besty, DeNae, Carolyn and Erik to remove the old floor. Today toad did the heroic job of keeping the dogs out of our hair and providing food.

The floor looks great. I have a bit more left over than a box. Maybe a box and a half. I haven't done the closet though and I might yet, it would be fast. Also I have yet to make the plug for the sewer clean out. Also baseboards still need a final coat of paint and the quarter round needs to be painted and then installed. I hope to be done painting by tomorrow (well DeNae is painting) and then I'll install quarter round on Tuesday, furniture migrates back Wednesday. So.. You know if you want to come watch me sit on the floor and curse at quarter round... Tuesday is your night!