I'm Baaaack! Plus Picturey Goodness of Contest Winnings

I know you all have been simply pining away for lack of posts on my part,but fear not. I have returned!!

 The laptop is still awaiting its new power supply (on order), but we seized the moment to update me to a new teensy laptop (10.2-inch screen) with three times the hard drive space of the old one.  D. and I had been talking about it for a while, and when he saw one on sale, I was sold.  The old one will become backup and be cleaned up and set up for kiddie games, as well

I've been getting used to my new "wheels" for a few days now - the hardest part  has been getting accustomed to the British layout keyboard.  It's only ever so slightly different, but that's enough to create constant typos for me.

Everyone's fine, although my head feels stuffed with cotton wool. No exciting knitting news, although I did start some purple lace (Spinner's Lace shawl in deep purple Artesano Alpaca). When it's more than 20 rows, I will get a picture.

I do have some gorgeousness to show off, however.  I was fortunate enough to be quite a winner in Liz's (that would be Liz at Knitting on the Green) blog contest, and the prizes arrived this morning.  Oh. Wow. Isn't the velvet project bag stunning?  I want to wear it, even if it could only be a glove.  But wait...check out the two skeins of hand-dyed wool - Liz's own handiwork. I am SO impressed at the depth and richness of the colors.  This photo is pretty accurate for color but not perfect. [Click on photo to embiggen] Isn't it awesome?  Any suggestions for the perfect project?  There are 440 yards total, I believe.

Stoopid laptop...

My laptop cord/power source problem returned and so I am temporarily computerless.  Thank heaven for my lovely, lovely phone, which allows me to read blogs and send email. However, blogging from the phone...not so much yet.

Stay tuned for scintillating posts after the weekend, I hope!

A Little Knittin' Content

Greetings, fellow readers.  David seems to have beaten the laptop cord into temporary submission, so I can once again email/blog/read blogs.  Whoo hoo!

I did get a little knitting mojo going this past week. I found out Tuesday that someone I know delivered her daughter early, over New Year's.  Very early - she is in the hospital and growing away, but has a long way to go, little princess.  I checked out some preemie patterns and made two teensy hats for her, which fit snugly on my fist.  One was a pale pink with lace edging and the other a pale peach ribbed number. Unfortunately,  I don't have any pictures as I couldn't find the camera and wanted to get them to the mum right away.  I hope they will warm this little girl, and that she will oh-so-quickly be in need of much bigger hats.

After that, I eyed my stash a bit (thanks, Lynn, for the tip) and started some Fawkes socks (sort of a flame pattern) in a rust wool that my friend Jill gifted me.  I'm thinking it may not be the right pattern though. The ankle ribbing is just right for me, but the patterned leg is looking pretty baggy.  I can't do much to alter it as there's no fudge room in the pattern and I'm already using size 0 (US) needles.  Sigh.

We'll see.  Maybe Lily's legwarmers, after all!

Stooopid computer

My laptop power cord is NOT working and it also seems to be sucking the charge right back out of the computer, so my time online is very limited.  David promises to take it to the computer dudes on Saturday but meanwhile, sorry I am not around.

Knitting mojo - got a little bit back and will post about that soon.

Love y'all!

Birthday Wishes and Jane Austen

First things first...happy birthday to my fantastico sweetie pie. I love you, babe. Thank you for all the happiness you bring to our lives.  May 2009 bring YOU much happiness.

There will be cake, and steak, tonight.  Let the revels begin!!

Now, on to lesser things.  This seems to be my season of Austen.  I so enjoyed listening to Pride and Prejudice on DVD a while back.  This past month, I've been sloooowly working my way through Emma, which is just as funny.  I do get distracted by other things, like being really ill, but I think I'll finish it this month. I can't just sit and plow through Miss Austen's books, however.  Nineteenth century authors are a real challenge to me, even though I define myself as A Reader. I have to take it a chapter at a time.  I'm also reading a biography of Jane Austen - will have to go dig out the title on that one  - which is dense, but interesting. 

All that is preface to a Funny Thing I found last night - what if Pride and Prejudice were a series of Facebook posts?  Check out Austenbook.  [Unlike real Facebook, the entries read from top to bottom, for ease...]  Enjoy!!

Brilliance

I have recently discovered Zen Habits, a blog about simplicity. Today's post is perfection. If you read nothing else this year, read this post.

Here's the money quote, but the entire post is so worthy.

Stop waiting for happiness. Happiness is right here, right now.

I have spent a lot of time saying to my nieces, and now to my own children, "Live in the now." We laugh when I say it, but I mean: stop thinking about what's coming next; enjoy where you are right now. For all the times I say it to the kids, however, I seldom remind myself.

Let's all live in the now this year. That doesn't mean stop paying your bills and making plans, it just means savor each day, savor the people with whom you interact every day. I'll be working on it!

My Other Love

My not-so-secret celebrity crush is back - yes, Time Team's 2009 season has begun!!

Knitting Mojo - I Haz None

Or, as Austin Powers would say, "I've lost my mojo!"

I feel the itch to knit, yet I can't think of a thing I WANT to knit. So very strange. I haven't really wanted to pick up the needles since before I had the flu, and now that I do, I feel all whiney and "I don't knooooow what  I want." Annoying.

I do think my reluctance to knit before now has a little to do with the Mystery Socks. I'm so sad to say it, but the patterning along the foot just does not agree with me, even when I ripped it back and tried simple ribbing. Just...meh. I am a plain foot girl, I suppose.  I have decided that's OK, however.

I do have some absolutely gorgeous pink/purple merino sock yarn I bought at John Lewis in December, but it is also hand-wash only, and I just can't decide whether I am up for hand-wash socks. It's so pretty, maybe it should become a scarf or something more visible, but it's also very strongly variegated.

Hmmm. I thought briefly tonight about some legwarmers for Lily out of some yarn she loves. I call it "pink vomit." Got it in a Lucky Dip at IKnitLondon in September. Check out this website - it's the large skein pictured.  I can't think of a better use than Lily legwarmers, can you?

I shall call you .... Jane.

Today Lily got her Christmas fishies. Because it's a small tank, she's limited to 1 goldfish or 4 minnows, plus a butterfly plecostomus (awfully pretty name for a rock-like, scum-sucking catfish thingie). Today we got the minnows. We'll have to wait a month or two for the plecostomus so we can build up some scum.

Much fun was had deciding what to name the minnows. I liked the idea of Ip, Dip, Sky, and Blue (sort of a Brit eenie, meenie, minie, mo), but Lily didn't. Now, three shall be named Rainbow Shark, Sallerina, and Ella. And one is Minnow To Be Named Later, I suppose.

Myself, I like a collective name for the fish. And so, I shall call them Jane. Jane Austen.

Thanks to Flickr for the image...