Ok--so what I'm doing is this:

Nursing two sick kids who should be at their first day of school. Well, actually the younger one did go yesterday and then promptly threw up everywhere, whereupon the school called me to come and fetch the little guy. He pretty much slept all day long. I dosed him with ginger ale, saltines (gee, I hope he isn't pregnant) and he watched Spongebob non stop for about 5 hours(is that good for you?)

Meanwhile, his older brother developed the same sickness overnight....and is pretty much laid up as well. Today was his first day of school--not a good omen.

What I should be doing is:

Yep--Sitting on my back porch and knitting. Or reading about knitting. Or reading about knitting in a magazine or, well you know. I just got a new knitting book and I have not been able to put it down. Have you all read this one? It is absolutely beautiful! Its called "Inspired Cable Knits" Oh Fiona Ellis--where have you been all my life. This book is part patterns, part photography and part philosophy. The patterns are gorgeous. I don't know if I will ever try one though, as they seem the type that you really have to concentrate on. Although throughout the book, she keeps saying encouraging things and it almost makes you feel like your best friend is sitting right there with you. I am also very busy rehearsing a show. As I said before, I perform locally in regional theater. I open in a show this Friday. "Copenhagen" by Michael Frayn. Check out the website: www.cplayers.com

Leave comments-would love to hear from you. Gotta go...there's some chicken soup that needs makin'!

Here is a great picture of those Mason Dixon gals! (and me of course) Thank you Kay for your comment on the blog. I feel so special. First Stephanie, and now you. If I could just get Ann to post then it would be like winning the Trifecta! This photo was taken at Stitch DC, up on Capitol Hill in DC. What a great shop. They had all this great food--remember the mini burgers? Their yarn choice was excellent; Kay and Ann were wonderful. I am not sure but I think that was sort of in the middle of the whirl wind tour--you guys must have been exhausted! But you sure didn't seem it. It was such a wonderful evening. I live about 45 minutes away and had to make many special arrangements to get there--kids pick up, etc. And I brought along a non-knitting friend. She loved you guys too and thought about taking up knitting herself...albeit only briefly. Once we were out of your creative orbit; she snapped back to her senses!

Today my 16 yr. old has Junior class orientation. The two elementary kids are still home, enjoying their last day of freedom. I am in my home office blogging and working on a sock I picked up from my WIP basket. This is yarn I got in Germany (read first blog about having to act out knitting in order to buy yarn in Germany!) I am using Cat Bordhi's book "Socks soar on Circular needles". Its a great book and I feel like she is sitting right next to me helping me along.

I have just finished the gussest (I think) and am going to keep going down the foot. Cat's advice about using longer circular needles is a good one. I wish I had bought longer ones, as these tend to get all wonky and in the way with each other. But unfortunately my LYS only had this size in this length only and you know we knitters are an inpatient lot and I Just Wantd To Get Started. The really cool part about the circulars is that you can comfortably try the sock on for exact measurement. Its great. Got to get going--have a wonderful day.

Remember I told you about my sister's wedding. Well, here is a picture of them right after the actually ceremony. That is my brother's head in the foreground. Right as I snapped this, he bent down---brothers! (they never change) It really was a great day.

I have almost finished the front of the kimono and will post pictures of it soon. In the meantime, I am busy rehearsing a show which opens next week. In my first post, I mentioned that I am a sometime actress. I actually majored in theater in college and have the privilege of directing at the local high school for the past ten years. I always manage to perform at least once or twice a year depending on the role. Lately, I have been devoting alot of my performing to one particular theater group: The Dignity Players. The creative director of this troupe is commited to producing theater with a message; more often than not a message regarding social justice and peace. The production values are excellent and he always manages to attract the most incredibly talented perfomers and artists to work with him. Right now, I am rehearsing a show called: "Copenhagen" by Michael Frayn. It is very interesting and involves the race to build the atomic bomb. Specifically it deals with the troubled discussion that took place in 1941 between Niels Bohr and Werner Hesienberg regarding the bomb. If you are in Annapolis, go check it out. www.cplayers.com

Here is the baby kimono with the left side almost finished. Its a bit tricky because the increases and decreases seem odd--but just keep following the directions and it will all make itself clear.

I guess that is good advice for alot of things--if we just trusted the directions, everything would make itself clear...huummm...something to think about.

I want to thank the wonderful person who commented on my blog. As an official newbie any and all comments are very much appreciated. I even got an email from the Goddess herself, yes, really...drum roll please...The Yarn Harlot. I feel as if the great knitting Goddess has stepped off her throne and personally touched me with her magic knitting needle. SHE took the time to email me?? Wow, how cool is that! I mean, her blog is incredible. Its funny, informative, creative and inspiring. Thank you Stephanie for your words of encouragement. Oh, and by the way, I switched my setting so anyone can leave a comment (thanks for that too!)

Here is my daugher's room--see previous posts. I have a daugher that is a plebe at the United States Naval Academy (GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY)--anyway, after a long mourning period ( and for those of you about to take your first to college, my thoughts are with you, because it is one of the hardest things to do!), I set out to clean out her room and make it more MY room. I left the bed of course, I assume she will come home at some point but everything else was packed up, given away or otherwise found a new home. Now, I have a great "office" and my WIP's (of which you see here) have a new home as well. Now, this is just some of my yarn....I can't bring all of it in here--because #1. it all wouldn't fit and #2. if my husband and kids actually saw how much I have, they would have me committed.

Anyway, thanks again for the comments. I look forward to many more....Have a wonderful, peaceful and joyful day!

Good Morning! Gosh, I am so NOT excited about school starting. I know I must be the only woman out there who is not! But you see, I love summer. I love the slowness, the lazy days, the sitting out on the porch just looking at the trees--and the unscheduled days. The school year brings with it necessary scheduling, deadlines, and of course, the dreaded homework. I have four kids, one in college (GO NAVY), one in high school, one in middle school and one in elementary school. Wow--what are the odds of that! We start this coming Friday. Of course, they don't want to go, except maybe for the one at USNA; she always LOVED the beginning of the school year. Yeah, she was one of those kids who really got into all the new stuff--organization is her middle name. I keep hoping that if I don't mention it, they will see the start of a new year as fun---yeah right. Everytime I drop the "s" bomb (school), my youngest starts to well up, my middle schooler pretends she doesn't hear me and my high schooler informs me that "I'm going to play some golf Mom". So to all you other moms out there who, like me, are NOT looking forward to an entire weekend of contact papering soft cover workbooks and covering hard back books, of writing your child's name on EVERY possession they own, of having to be the cheerful one "won't it be good to see your friends again?!", of once again buying all those lunch fixings for home, having to brush up on whatever history they are doing now, and most of all, getting them up in the morning and ready to go--then join me in a communal sigh of sadness at the passing of another summer. And, though not to get too maudlin, the passing of another year in our kids' lives. I know the year officially ends Dec. 31st, but to me, the school year has always been a better marker. I have a bin for each of my children and in that bin are folders marked "Pre-School", "Kindergarten", etc. all the way up through 12th grade. The school year provides an easy reference point to me and I am sure to so many others. Ask me what my daughter was doing in 1994? No idea. What was she doing in Kindergarten? Well, then it all comes flooding back, right?! So let's all try to keep a stiff upper lip and enjoy this beautiful week!

Ok--so today is my sister's wedding. Eight girls in my family(yep, you heard right) and she is the last one to officially tie the knot. Its like the end of an era. The rehearsal dinner last night was fun--it was a giant crab feast at a restaurant on the water near Baltimore. The service was great, the weather warm but pleasant and the bride and groom looked to be very happy. My sister and fiance have been together a while so both families were happy that they are making it official.

Remember I told you that I had a daughter at the Naval Academy. Well here she is with my other daughter on Parents Weekend last week. See, what they say about a man in uniform, works for a woman too! She is excited to get out today for the wedding--had to get a special chit. Not much new on the knitting front--I guess I can't bring my knitting to the wedding, huh. There really is not any other place I'd rather be, but sitting on my back porch, having my coffee and knitting. Now, throw in a book on tape/cd and I am in heaven!

Good afternoon--I am posting some photos of my current WIP's. Here is the baby kimono from Mason Dixon. The Pattern looks daunting but if you just dive right in, it pretty much works itself out. I love it and the yarn is wonderful!

The yarns on the left are what I am going to use for the hat and the booties. I think it will be adorable. Its quick--so it appeals quite nicely to my adult onset A.D.D.

Good afternoon!
Ok, I know two posts in one day?! It boogles the mind. Anyway, I wanted to update this with my current project. I am knitting the baby kimona from Mason Dixon knitting book. I am using a variegated pink mercerized cotton yarn from Fantasy Naturale. To go along with this, I am using a pattern from "Itty Bitty Baby Hats" (by the way one of the BEST knitting books with the cutests hat patterns) and to tie it all together tiny baby booties knit in the most beautiful cotton yarn from Dalegarn and using a pattern I found in the Summer 2005 issue of Interweave Knits. I will post pictures soon...very soon.

Good morning--what a beautiful day it is. Ok, so now I have a blog. My sisters (I have 6) will all tease me about this. Of course, who is going to actually read this--who knows. Anyway, I know how much I have depended upon the good advice of those out there in the cyber world. So let's try this thing.

Things to know about me:
I am a gulp 43 old (double gulp) wife and mother.
I have four wonderful children (most of the time)
My oldest just went off to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis!
We also live in Annapolis which makes seeing her that much easier!
I love to knit
I love to buy yarn
I love to buy knitting books
I have more yarn than I will ever use
I keep buying it anyway
Whenever I travel, here or abroad, the first thing I google is yarn shops in the area
This was especially interesting in Germany where I had to act out knitting in order to get directions to where I could buy yarn.
I have a dog that I love named Vincent.
He really acts more like a cat than a dog, but he's my pound puppy and I love him
I have 6 sisters and three brothers
Yep, all from the same mom and dad who just celebrated 47 years together.
I am an actor and director in local theater.
I am in the process of rehearsing a show right now.
I am on stage the whole time and this upsets me because I have no time to knit backstage.
Hear that Julia Roberts, you are not the only knitting actress!!

I look forward to meeting other knitters out there and to talking with you all.