It's Finished!

I can't believe that I finished knitting my skirt. It's my very first skirt and I just love it. I have worked on it pretty much nonstop for two weeks (totally neglecting all of the other projects that I really need to work on), but it is totally worth it!

As soon as I figure out how to put pictures on here, I'll post one. It's so cute!

Guys, seriously, it is the cutest thing ever. I love it so much and it is so comfortable. I just want to wear it everywhere.

That is all I have to say about it.

Look guys! There isn't a ton of light in my apartment, so getting a good picture wasn't easy (or even possible, if you look at it), but Michael did a good job.

TV Update

So, I've got to take some time to catch up. I've been really busy with countless projects. My project-a-week thing (oh, right, I realized that I have to finish a project every week for the rest of the year to be able to get them all done) is going really well--I've been working on it like that for about a month and a half already. I've mostly just finished really easy projects--sewing up slipper socks and things that that are already done except for weaving in ends and things. It gives me a chance to work on huge projects (like my mother-in-law's hat/scarf set which is taking way longer than I thought because it's so intricate, but beautiful) but still finish things up.

While I've been knitting for about 40 hours or more a week, I've also had a chance to watch a ton of TV shows and things. I've watched a bunch of movies (that I can't remember right now) and a million TV shows. I finished season 3 of CSI and recently started ER season 2 (from Netflix) on Hulu, I'm watching The A-Team and I'm on season 3 of that. I watched season 1 and started 2 of Doogie Howser, MD--which is way more about sex than I remembered as a little kid. But it's really cute. I started watching One Tree Hill, which I had never heard of before, but am really enjoying. I have also started watching Conan O'Brien, but I think I'm about over that. It's funny and all, but I am just not really into it. I could be watching more episodes of The A-team. And, of course, I'm keeping up with Lie to Me (which has started over from the beginning, for some reason), The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, and patiently waiting for Lost, Friday Night Lights, and whatever else my office chooses to watch next season. When does the Office Season 5 become available on DVD? I totally want to add it to Michael's Netflix queue (which I control, too. I didn't mean to do that, it just happened, you know? Oopsie).

That is so much television. I feel kind of lame for watching so much TV, but what else can I do while I'm knitting? If I do have more knitting/craft groups, that will really cut back on my television consumption. You know, it's kind of funny how I totally don't feel like it's TV when I'm watching it on my computer--like it doesn't count. Sometimes, I can get Michael to read to me (which I totally adore) but his voice gets tired within one chapter and then I'm left to myself, and there is no way I can read and knit at the same time. But I'm having a great time with all of the knitting and the movies and the TV, so it really isn't that bad.

Knitting Night

Thursday was my very first knitting group. It was a blast. I had two friends over and we talked, ate, and had a great time.

Nina brought her husband along--she just had surgery and can't drive yet, which was fun. I really enjoyed getting to visit with him for a minute, but I was just so excited to see Nina and Lynnette again. We had a great time. It was so fun to catch up. Everything is going so well with Nina--she's so happily newly wed. Lynnette is suffering from the downturn in the economy (as are many of us), but she's got a great outlook on life still.

Lynnette and I worked on casting on and basic garter stitch. It was really fun, and next time, Nina should be able to join us. That will be great. I can't wait.

I had such a great time that I'm thinking of doing other monthly groups--girls getting together to do crafty crap. It will be the same thing I do every day, but with more human interaction. That sounds great.

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.