Bordeaux Kettle- Hand-dyed Sock Yarn

So what that I have four unfinished projects waiting for me on the coffee table? The yarn just came in the mail today and I am so excited, I just can't wait to use it! I love the feel, I love the color, I love everything about it! So, here comes some freaking awesome socks and look out World! (if only they were for me...).

I would start making the matching tie, but I just realized that I don't have size 1 circular needles and I can't wait the insane amount of time it would take to put real clothes on and go to the store and then find them (if they have them--which usually they don't) and then come all the way home. I can't believe I took so much time to even post before using it. I am looking at it right now and taking little second-long breaks to touch it. I just love the color. I love the inconsistencies that come from the kettle-dying process. Oh, it's just gorgeous! And it feels great. I could cuddle up and sleep with it! It almost makes me want to learn to spin and dye yarn of my own...

I am so excited, I just can't stand it!

Taking a Breath

I have decided to step back from my huge curtain project for a moment so I can catch my breath. I put away the curtain panel this weekend and worked on a couple of other things. And, my, did I get a lot done! I mean, I've been working on the curtains for over two months. It is time for me to be able to work on something else, but I think my little fingers were a little too excited to work on something that actually showed progress readily.

**********Christmas Spoiler**********

I started the scarf to match the adorable hat I made for Jessica. I finished all of the knitting, too, I just have to graft the two ends together and then block it. But I am saving all of the blocking for the end, I think. I also started and finished two pair of cable slipper socks. They are adorable. I have decided to make them for everyone for Christmas next year (it will be a lot easier for me to make them for everyone and be done and able to work on other projects, too). I mean, I'll have to think of something else to do for the ones who are getting cabled slippers this year, but my projects for next year will only take about a month or so of serious knitting and then I'll be able to work on the charity project my family is doing.

This year, I am just having to work way too much on Christmas projects. That is all I've done, except for my curtains. I worried about being able to finish everything by Christmas, but I think that I don't really have anything to worry about. I mean, the socks that I was planning on making for my dad may have to wait, but as long as I get the tie done in time, I think it will be fine. I'm going to send the gifts out a little before Christmas, and I just can't wait for the tie. I finally found a pattern that doesn't look so stupid. Most hand-knitted ties look ridiculous and stupid, and I am so glad that it looks like a normal tie. I ordered a gorgeous Bordeaux kettle-dyed merino wool/nylon blend for the project, and I just can't wait--it's going to be so beautiful. I think it will look great and so elegant with a navy blue or black suit.

**********End Christmas Spoiler**********

While all this knitting is going on, I finished watching The Pretender and started watching The Practice. I really like the show, but it's only three seasons and I'm already into season 2 (the first season was only six episodes long). I want to see how many seasons of how many shows it takes me to work on the curtains.

And my birthday…

I can't believe that I didn't say anything about my birthday, either. I love my birthday SO much. I am a little bit of a fanatic. Every year, I try so hard not to mention it, but I am just so excited that it's all I can talk about for weeks beforehand. I feel like such a five-year-old about my stupid birthday (I don't really mean stupid, because my birthday is easily the coolest day of the year). I always say, "I love my birthday" in a way that reminds me of when sweet little Elena Vargas turned five. It was on a fast Sunday and she got up and bore her testimony and said, "I want to bear my testimony and today is my birthday and I turned five and I love my birthday." That is how I feel about my birthday. I just love it so much! And I can't help it. I get so excited like the sun rises and sets for my birthday and my birthday alone.

This year, I finally got a beautiful birthday cake. It was waiting for me when I got home on Tuesday evening (April 28th, the day before my birthday). And I got a wonderful card from Michael that came with a huge button that says "Another Year Sexier" that I totally wore to work (and left on my desk) on Thursday the 30th (when we celebrated at work). I had Wednesday off (hooray my Special Person Day!) and it was a great day. Michael took me to get a massage and we ate cake and treats all day and then had soup and sandwiches for dinner (because that is what I've been wanting for weeks--and I can't stop eating that for lunch and dinner practically every day!).

So my birthday was awesome. We took a long walk in the middle of the day and it was so nice outside--there was fresh-cut grass (which Michael is allergic to but he toughed it out for me because I love the smell so much) and we got to explore our neighborhood. It was just a really nice, relaxing day. My massage was so good. I wish it lasted more than an hour, though, and I already need another one.

I sang "happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday, dear Amanda, happy birthday to me" all throughout my shower. But it's really echoey in there, so I tried to sing really quietly. I got some really great gift cards from Michael's family (and cash from his mom "so [I] can buy whatever gift card I want"). And I got a ton of emails from people I hadn't heard from in a long time (and a couple people I didn't know) thanks to my mom announcing to everyone that it was my birthday. Thanks, Mom.

But it's my golden birthday, which only comes around once in a lifetime, so it was really great to get to celebrate so much. I just love my birthday! I can't wait until next year.

So, about Easter...

What a slacker I am turning out to be. I cannot believe I missed telling you about the best holiday (as far as tasty candy goes) of the year! Easter totally rocked this year. Michael did such a good job, choosing only the best, most delicious treats. Cadbury mini eggs, Hershey's Cadbury mini-egg-wannabes (which are really exceptionally delicious), three different chocolate bunnies, Reese's eggs, Rolos in Easter-colored wrappers, dark chocolate peanut M&Ms (needs a little work with this one), robin eggs (I can't seem to get enough of these delicious little things!), and Cadbury eggs in original, caramel, and orange crème flavors, all in a beautiful Easter basket with pink grass! I am still eating delicious Easter treats. This is, by far, the best Easter I can remember (as far as tasty treats go). I don't have to share them. I did, however, give Michael the obligatory marshmallow egg or whatever, because ew.

My candy stash is very well supplied now for weeks to come. It's wonderful. And I am so happy about it. Easter is truly the best holiday for candy.

I keep the basket in my bedroom and put it on the bed so I can eat treats while I read before bed. Not so good for my teeth, but so good for my tummy. The plus side to having treats in bed is that I am reading again. It's a really great book that Michael makes fun of every time he sees it because it's a cheesy novel by a cheesy mystery writer. But her editor is good--in the 70 pages I've read so far, I've only caught a few things I would change for grammatical correctness. Really well done. Some of the writing is super cheesy, but I just love it. It's a great story. I do love mysteries--whodunits. They are so great. And so is Easter candy. I especially love falling asleep with a book and a basket of candy that Michael has to clear off the bed so he can lie down. I don't know why I get so much joy out of that.