Here you need-ohs, Mickey.

So, Saturday night I had the distinct pleasure of babysitting my beautiful niece, Caroline, while everybody else went to Halloween Horror Nights. I've been working on some Christmas decorations for the craft show in Oveido that Mom and Jenni entered. One of them is a miniature stocking ornament, which was sitting on a table in the living room Saturday night when they dropped Caroline off. Caroline and I were getting ready to go to the duck pond -- "you sit right here while Micky goes and changes her clothes" -- and when I came out of the bedroom, Caroline walked over to me saying, "Here you need-ohs, Mickey. And you yawn," as she holds up one hand with five needles, and one hand with a clump of yarn and a stocking-in-progress, from which she had yanked all of the working needles. "Thank you, Baby," I said and just stood there and looked at the damage.
Fortunately, as previously stated, it was a miniature stocking, and I was knitting it at a very tight gauge, so the stitches were very easy to pick up. But still, I'm sure you'll agree, it's never fun to see all of your needles outside of their respective wips.

Check back soon for some pictures of that and many other finished ornaments.

And the hits just keep on comin'...

So, the wedding was nice. Real pretty, a lot of fun. I don't have any pictures yet but when I do, I'll post some.

On Tuesday, while I was on my way back to NC, I apparently fell asleep at the wheel and wrecked my car somewhere along I-95 in Georgia, near mile-marker 13 or 15, I think.

I remember feeling tired and thinking I needed to get off at the next exit. After that, the next thing I can remember is I opened my eyes and had started going into the center lane a little, so I quickly steered to the left. Between rain, brand new tires, and loose steering, I swerved too far, so I steered back to the right to correct it, then I thought, "Oh no, I'm loosing control of my car." and that's the last thing I remember until I woke up and there was a woman outside my window telling me not to move, that the paramedics were on their way.

I was going to share pictures of my car and of my beautiful face -- a nice Halloween costume, too bad it's three weeks early -- but I can't find my camera. I hope it didn't get left in the car when we left it at the wrecker place. I'm sure we didn't.. we'd have noticed if it was left in there.

Anyway, Mom took pictures the other day when we picked it up, so I have a few of the car, but none of me yet.

I also had wanted to take a few pictures of the sock I've been working on.. I'm just doing Ann Budd's basic sock, but with a short row heel. Hopefully my camera will turn up soon and I can share that with you guys. This poor Magic Stripes yarn in Cowboy Stripe.. I really like it a lot, but I have started it in about thirteen different proejcts and ripped it out over and over and over again. Hopefully this will be the project that sticks.

Anyway.. for now, I leave you with some pictures of the wreckage..

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....

Memes for Everyone!

Karen tagged me for a meme, so here goes...

Four jobs I have had:
1. Food Lion/Kash n Karry -- 4 years here altogether, some in NC, some in FL. Mostly worked as a cashier. For the last 6 months I've been working in the office, doing accounting, bookeeping, etc.
2. WCU Math Lab -- I tutored ppl who couldn't get it. And sometimes I pretended to tutor people who knew it better than me (ian).
3. Johnny Rockets -- I was a host the summer I was at SBP. Branch was my "cohost." It was so much fun to hang out with him!
4. SunTrust -- I was a teller there for three months until I got sick and got the boot.

Four places I have lived:
1. Georgia - LaGrange. I was born there and lived there till I was like 3.
2. Virginia - Pearisburg. I was mostly raised there.. lived there till I was 15. I would like to make it back there eventually, and raise a family there.
3. North Carolina. - Lincolnton. I finished high school there.
- Cullowhee. I went to college at Western Carolina University.
- Winston Salem. I moved here recently to live with Karen.
4. Florida - Ocala. My family moved here after I finished hs, and I'ved lived there intermittently ever since.

Four Favorite Foods:
1. Spaghetti with ranch dressing.
2. Sushi!!
3. Anything Chinese.
4. BBQ Chicken Hot Pockets.

Four places I would rather be:
1. Ocala, Fl. -- I miss my stinker, Caroline, and all the rest of my family.
2. Pearisburg, Va. -- I REALLY want to go up there and visit everyone soon.
3. LaGrange, Ga. -- This is probably my favorite place in the world. I love my extended family.
4. Cullowhee, NC. -- Everyone just moved back and is starting school, and I really want to visit some people.

Alright, all done.. I'm supposed to tag someone, but the only people that read this blog have already done this meme. :-)

I love socks!

Long time no see, eh? Hopefully after I get my computer functioning properly and whatnot, I'll be able to get online more often and update better. This should be a good post because I'm in Florida and am able to take my time on the computer, I can connect my camera.. etc.

So, I made my very first pair of socks last week! Karen asked if I had planned on making anything for Caroline's birthday, and I thought it'd be a perfect time to learn to make socks.

We had a little birthday party for her tonight at my brother's house. Like any 2-year-old would, she opened a package that had socks in it and moved right on to the next one. The next one happened to be Jenni's sister's gift -- also clothing. Caroline pulled everything out of the box and tossed it on the floor behind her, looking for a toy. When she didn't find one, she moved right along.. again. Fortunately for my ego (and what could easily be the end of my sock-making career), Caroline later became enamored with the socks. They fit, first off!! Or at least, they were close to fitting. They were only a little bit big and slouchy around the instep, but she'll grow into them. And anytime she walked into the living room and saw someone else holding them, she'd rip them out of their hands and say, "Mine!"

Isn't it funny that, in true aunt fashion, Jenni's sister and I were the only ones who gave her that heinous gift of *gasp* clothing! All the grandparents and friends and uncles got her toys or fun learning devices. But, the aunts.. clothes. Now I just need to grab her cheeks and say, "My how you've grown!" and I'll fit the mold to a tee.

Anywho.. here's a picture of the socks on her. My camera takes forever to take a picture, so she's already moving in this picture, but I'll bring Mom's camera in here and post a good picture I got when I get the chance.

They're done in Lion's Brand Magic Stripes in Bright Spring Pattern. It was on clearance at AC Moore, and for my first sock project, I certainly wasn't going to splurge. I used Ann Bud's Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns as a bit of a starting point, and it's just in stockinette with about a 3/4 inch ribbing at the top. I do believe my first pair of socks was a success..

Let's see.. what else?

I finished my felted bag. I'll post pictures when I get back to NC.

Karen found me some Pink Lemonade! It's so cute! I started knitting a dishcloth in stockinette with it, but I'm gonna frog it and do a more entertaining pattern.

I'm also making the Woozy Cloth from smariek's blog in a purple and yellow kitchen cotton.. I forgot the name of that colorway.

Karen and I dyed yarn last week! We used the Kool-Aid method, and I think it made the color so rich. That is where there was color.. I wasn't as thorough with mine as I should have been, and there's a good bit of white still. I think I'll start either a pair of socks or the Fetching wrist warmers sometime next week.

Last but not least, I'm working on the Simple Shrug from the ballband of Caron's Simply Soft Shadows in Mardi Gray. It's a fun pattern, though I think it'll look dumb on me, so it'll need to be a gift. I had a good 7 inches or so done on it, then I decided to frog it and redo it in the round.

Oh, and then there's always the perpetual blanket.. :-)

AND, the most exciting news of all........ Karen and I got an apartment! We signed a lease on Wednesday, and I'll start moving all my jank in next week! I'll post some pictures when we get all moved in!