Welcome 2005!

Happy New Year!

New Year's Eve was a quiet event..  Patrick and I went downtown to First Night Charleston, but a combination of too many people and too few events made it somewhat disappointing.  Prior years had many more events.  This year, the lines were way too long.

We did get to catch a local improv group, The Have Nots, and I enjoyed the Horn Quartet, but that's all.  Patrick wanted to go ice skating, but by the time we got there (10:00 pm), they were ready to close it down. 

Anyway, the weather was mild, and there were lovely lights all around. 

The photo isn't great, but the square was beautiful.

By midnight, I was fast asleep.

Long, Lazy Weekend

I spent the rest of the weekend watching the Twilight Zone Marathon on the SciFi channel where I actually saw a scary ski mask!.  The episode was entitled The After Hours, and the mask had nothing to do with the plot.  I guess people really did wear those in the '60s.

I think my favorite episodes are The Hitch-Hiker (really scares me), Night of the Meek (Art Carney is wonderful), To Serve Man (great plot twist), The Hunt (always brings tears to my eyes), and The Midnight Sun (read the short story as a child, then saw this episode years later).

I also watched lots of pro football.  It was the last weekend in the regular season, so lots of playoff implications, and I crocheted some.  In fact, I didn't leave the house again until Monday evening.

Oh, I did see Napoleon Dynamite on DVD.  Quite funny.  I like the beautiful people as much as the next person, but my heart will always be with the geeks since I count myself as one.

I also would like to see Hotel Rwanda if it comes to Charleston.  I may have to wait for the DVD.

Read All About It

I didn't make any resolutions, and I love Sharon's post on unresolutions, but I really would like to read more in 2005.  I used to read a lot before knitting, crocheting, blogging, blogspotting, and football watching.  To that end, I just got Terry Gross's new book, All I Did Was Ask, a collection of interviews to ease me back into the literary world. 

Pretty in Pink and Blue

I started on the baby afghan.  I wrote about my misgivings about making things for pay before, and I still have them, but the afghan at about 18" is coming out sweet so far.

.Now for a close up.

I just love my Clover Soft Touch hooks.  I have a full set from B-J and a few steel ones.  If you haven't tried them--Go on, Go on, Go on!*

Since I'm crocheting throught the back loops for a ribbing effect, it's going a little slower than I would like, but I think the colors work and the Bernat Baby Softee is nice.

I will have to put off my Rogue sweater until the afghan is finished, but I plan to console myself by buying yarn and stuff with the blanket money. 

Market Squares Bag Update

My LYS got some Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Orange You Glad, so here are my colors for the bag.

Clockwise from the top left, Orange You Glad,  Lotus Pink, Orchid Thistle, Limeade, and Fuchsia

I'm not sure which will be my color sequence yet, but I'm leaning towards the orange as my main color. 

Suggestions are welcome.

I also need to work on a entrelac swatch just to get my feet wet in the technique.

The Bag Along starts January 15th, so if you been thinking about it, join in!--Go on, Go on, Go on!*

My First Knitted Mittens

I didn't get second mitten syndrome.  They are done.

. 

They turned out very well, although I haven't worn them yet because of the springlike temperatures we been having lately.  We did have a cold snap for a few days around Christmas, but for the last week, the high temperatures have been in the '70s--warm by even Charleston standards in January! 

As I write this, at 8:30am, it's already 60 degrees.

I know it won't last, but it's so nice.

Etc, Etc...

XXOO Button

Beth made a lovely button for Susan's Hugs and Kisses Socks.  Susan is donating the proceeds from the sale of her pattern to Tsunami Relief, and it's is a darling pattern.  Click on the button below for more information.

An Afghan for Ro

Ro's mother passed away recently, and Jayme, put together a group of us crochters to make a comfortghan for her.  Since this would be a surprise for Ro, we couldn't blog about it.  Ro received the afghan recently, and it's beautiful.  Check out Donna's entry.  She says it best.

When my mother passed away seven years ago, I know one of the nicest things someone gave me was a gift certificate to Victoria's Secret.  I thought it a little strange at the time, but it was nice to pamper myself a little, and that really meant so much to me.

A very special shout out goes to Jayme for putting the group and the squares together.  She did a wonderful job.

Science Rules!

If you have The Science Channel on your cable system, do check out 100 Greatest Discoveries, hosted by one of my favorites, Bill Nye (does any one remember the children's program Bill Nye, The Science Guy?).  It's on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. with lots of repeats through the night.

Let It Snow Some More

For some reason, I've been a little obssesed with snow photos.  Maybe because snow is so rare here, and I can't drive in it anyway.  Susan has some awesome photos here, and Julie is devoting Mondays to crocheting snowflakes.

Best of 2004

I knew this had to happen sooner or later.  I think it's great. The funny thing is while I read some of these blogs, there are many I don't read, so it gives me an opportunity to "meet" some new (to me) bloggers.

Go on, Go on, Go on!*

*A small prize to the first person who correctly guesses where that line comes from and who says it.  Hint--it is a televusion show. Email me with your answers.

Comments

[monica]

Happy New Year! I love the colors you chose for your bag. I can't wait to see you start knitting it. And your mittens are nice! Your afghan is coming along very quickly and nicely too.

[maryse]

i too love the colors for the bag. excellent choice.

[Donna]

The baby blanket is coming along beautifully.

[Beth]

I'm going bright on my MSB colors too! I'd have this primal urge to put the orange next to the green (2 of my favorite colors) but I like the pink, purple and fuchsia separated a bit. Just how you have them in the photo will be great.

Trivia for you: I desperately wanted to attend Antioch College in Yellow Springs (my favorite town in the world!). It was a bonus that it was where Rod Serling had studied. (I ended up at Wilmington College though. Isn't Fighting Quakers an oxymoron?)

[General Ginger]

Beautiful baby afghan.

[Heather]

I love the blanket. It looks great.

[Julie]

The blanket is beautiful, I love it. I particularly like the mittens! :o)

[Sharon]

We used to have a kickin' First Night in my town till budget cuts ruined it. Grumble grumble. Vera, love your mittens.