Fall Into Autumn Topic of the Week and an Update.

So, this week we've been asked to post about whether we change our yarn or our projects as the weather changes.
I've been crocheting for years, but I really only made scarves and hats, and it was only recently that I was introduced to anything other than Red Heart or Caron's Simply Soft or anything else you can get at Wal-Mart. I would say I probably crocheted more in the fall/winter than during the summer. I probably only crocheted during the summer if there was a baby due who I was crocheting a blanket for or something.
As for knitting, I've only been doing it for a few months. It will probably be pretty similar to my crocheting style, though. It's getting into fall and I've just finished a pair of mittens and am working on a hat for Caroline. I've had a request to make hats for everyone back home. Dishcloths and socks will be year-round endeavors, but other projects, and colors, will be more dependent on the time of the year, I think..

In other news...
My car is on the fritz. I get paid tomorrow, and I'm seriously afraid all my money's gonna be going into my car. But at least I'll have some peace of mind afterwards, and won't have to keep worrying about it.
I haven't seen Karen since Sunday afternoon. I hate this stupid job and the stupid hours I have to work. I hate that Yvette deems it necessary to make everyone of my shifts be closing shifts. I've GOT to get away from there!
After church Sunday, Karen and I went to this lunch for the Young Adult Fellowship group. I had a wonderful time, and I'd love to start doing things with them regularly. I need fellowship with people my age. They have a Bible Study on Wednesday nights. It's at the same time as Knit Night, which stinks, but I really need to be a part of a Bible Study. I guess I'll try it out, at least. Growing in my relationship with the Lord is more important than knitting, but I really enjoy these women at Knit Night. I guess we'll just have to see where the Lord takes me.

Karen and I have no water. Sunday after church we noticed there was a lot of water on the ground, as though someone had washed their car or something.. Then she called me while was at work and said it was like a river out there. Apparently a water main had busted, and they had to turn our water off. I saw when I got home last night that she had run the water to let the muddy water run out, so I figured the water was back on, but.. none of the faucets work.. Now, the water that runs to the ice maker.. that works. We have muddy ice, but we can't take showers...
I have tonight off, and Karen and I are going to watch The Office together tonight! I can't wait to finish the rest of Season 3!!

And in knitting news....

I made some mittens for Caroline to match her socks, and I've just started working on a hat. For all three, I've used the Ann Budd's Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns, but have also altered them each to whatever suits my fancy. The pattern for mittens in the book makes mittens that are pointy and I thought they looked silly, so when I started decreasing, I did a sock toe decrease, decreasing on every row, until I had about sixteen stitches, then I did a three needle bind off. I think they're MUCH cuter, and I love 'em! My Stinker will look so cute in them!

I ripped out the perpetual blanket and started it again using less black and white in between colors.

I'm making a MD Ballband in White and Pink Lemonade.

I'm researching patterns for my Fall Into Autumn dishcloth partner. I can't wait to get started! Seems like she and I have a lot of the same tastes in colors and whatnot, so it'll be easy to decide what to make, but probably not so easy to part with it! :-)

Fall into Autumn Dishcloth Exchange Survey

1. Do you knit or crochet? How long have you been doing it?
I do both. I really mostly knit, I do very little crochet anymore. But, I've been crocheting about.... oh, 10 years or so.. and knitting only a couple of months.
2. Have you made dischloths before? Do you use them yourself, give them as gifts, or both?
I've made many a dishcloth. :-) I usually make them for myself but I've made a few for family members.
3. What's your favorite cotton to make cloths from? What cotton would you like to try that you haven't before ?
I usually use Sugar n Cream or Peaches n Creme. It comes in soooo many colors, which I love! I've made a few washcloths for my niece in TyDy.. That's all I've really ever used. I'd love to try anything new.
4. If you knit, do you prefer circular or straight needles? For all, do you prefer wooden, metal, or plastic needles?
I almost always use circulars, and always metal when I'm working with cotton.
5. What are your favorite colors? Any colors you don't like much?
Mmmm.. I looooove colors!! Orange and purple are my two favorite colors. I love deep, rich tones, not pastels. And I'm really not a fan of gold. I like a mixture of colors, variegation as opposed to solids.
6. What do you like best about Autumn?
The weather cools down, the colors are beautiful. All my favorite holidays come in the fall.
7. Pies: Pumpkin? Apple? Pecan? All of em? or No Thanks!
Mmmmm, pumpkin! I love pumpkin pie, pumpkin pudding, pumpkin cookies.. It's just my favorite flavor.
8. When you were a kid, were you the one who couldn't wait to get started with school , or the one who overslept on the 1st day?
I always loved summer, but back-to-school is really an exciting time of the year. I LOVE stationary and office supplies, so I always loved when it was time to start shopping for notebooks and folders and pens and etc.
9. Do you celebrate Halloween? (The real key here guys is especially knowing if you have an aversion to the holiday or little goodies/decorations associated with it, given the timeframe of the swap)
I LOVE Halloween!!
10. If you had to choose just 3 edible 'goodies' to eat for a full year, what 3 would you choose?
I'm not gonna say I don't have a sweet tooth, but I can't really think of any snacks I love. I love to drink. I'm constantly drinking. I love root beer, and I love Kool Aid, specifically Watermelon Cherry. Umm, I do like a lot of the Keebler cookies, like Fudge Stripes and chocolate-covered grahams. And gummies, like Gummy Bears or those Haribo gummy soda candies, and I love those gummies shaped like cherries.. yummmm. Oh, Oh!! And I LOVE candy corn, and those candy pupmkins that they have around Halloween!!!
11. Do you have any pets? Kids? Husbands who seem like kids? ;)
None. Just a roomate, who is pretty much the same person as me....
12. If you were to describe a particular yarn that shares traits of your personality, what would it be and why?
Probably Red Heart acrylic.. lol I'm a simple girl.. No thrills and frills. I'm not cheap, though.. And I don't squeak.
13. Do you use your cloths mostly for dishcloths, or as facecloths?
I've never made a facecloth.. at least not for myself. I made some washcloths for my neice, but no facecloths. I probably wouldn't use one, I'm a simple girl, like I said, and I don't need all that. I do use my dishcloths all the time.
14. Favorite Fall Holiday: Halloween or Thanksgiving and why? (Feel free to share another fall memory if you do not celebrate either of these holidays)
I love 'em both, but I'll have go to with Thanksgiving. I love all my family's T-day traditions. I have wonderful memories of spending time with my cousins and extended family.
15. Do you have any allergies or aversions your pal should know about?
Nope.

A historic day...

A year ago today, I woke up in a hospital bed. I couldn't move any of the muscles in my face, I had a fever of 104, and I had developed double vision due to paralysis of my optic nerve.
My plans to move to North Carolina were put on hold. I soon after lost my job.
I went on to stay in the hospital two more weeks. I underwent more tests and exams than I ever knew existed, and I was tested for diseases I'd never even heard of... This is what I heard: "Inconclusive.. inconclusive.. indeterminate.. inconclusive."
It's one year later, and everything has changed, yet nothing has changed... Sometimes I feel like I'm still that sick, weak little girl in that hospital bed. Sometimes I feel like an independent hero who's overcome the odds to lead a full life.
Most times I just don't know what I feel....