Distance

Distance is an odd thing today.  We're all so connected.  A person is hundreds of miles away, and I feel that I speak with them always.  We send gifts through facebook, leave pictures and comments for observation, speak on the phone, text while not speaking and even sometimes write.  It can saturate you and become overdone.  It can make you forget what it is like to have a person here, in front of you, within reach.  We take distance for granted.  I am afraid of being saturated, but more afraid of not having the time or energy for any conversation.  Next week the rat race begins.  Wish me luck.

Everyone hears what you say, friends listen to what you say, best friends listen to what you don't say.

Now what?!

Now what do I knit?  I've done nothing but holiday scarves for weeks.  It's all done and I need a new project.

I have plenty of Silk Garden left over from Dad's, a whole skein of plain black-and-gray wool I could use...  Perhaps it's time to make some mittens.  I cast on for a pair several weeks ago with a silk garden blend that I've come to think of as a little ugly.

Problem solved.

I'm off to tear out a pair of ugly half-mittens!

Merry Christmas!

Weather: 44 and sunny.

Location: Home, kitchen, listening to others playing with their gifts (mostly noisy things like a keyboard and speakers)

Mood:  Ecstatic!

Christmas day dawned bright, but the black curtains in my room left me in blissful darkness until my alarm woke me promptly at 9.  Believe it or not, I hit snooze three times.  I suppose Christmas becomes calmer over time.  Gone are the days I would jump out of bed enthusiastically.  Now I look forward to giving gifts as much as receiving them.

A hand-knit scarf was my gift to both parents and my little brother.  I bought jewelry for my sister, who is a knitter herself and understands why the effort put into the others prevented her from being given a hand-made.  Robert (brother) literally gasped when he opened the box and saw his scarf.  He loved the colors and cable and how soft it is.  My Mom was very touched at the Waves of Grain scarf I made for her.  She's seen me laboring over it for a week, knitting every spare moment, inch slowly following inch.  I fumbled the grafting in the middle and one of the ends, but it's all so small, you can't really tell.  She loved it.  I surprised Daddy with a Noro Silk Garden and a plain gray/black wool stripe scarf.  The Noro is a series of bright, masculine colors (greens, red, brown, blues, even white).  It is simple and smooth enough to match even his most formal coat and shirt and ties.

I feel loved.  Nearly everything on my list was given to me, and a few surprises, too!  More than that, I've spent so many hours with my family and I get homesick just thinking about the return to school.

There's so much to look forward to.  Merry Christmas!

Two Things You Must See

FireMeetsDesire.com Burger King Cologne (hint of flame-broiled meat)

Pandora.com Free radio, perfect for Christmas music! Create an account - it's free and quick - then start listening to music.  Give songs thumbs-up if you like them, down if you don't so you hear more of what you enjoy and less of what you don't!

What is the slowest thing you can think of?

Mother's scarf knits slowly... Slowly like the tractor down Three Springs Road when you cannot pass.  Slowly like Robert and Melanie when it's time to do chores.  Slowly like the clock turns when the house is ready and you're waiting on the beloved friends to finally get here.  Slowly like the time it takes for the water to finally boil so that you can pour it into the press and make coffee.  It can't come quick enough, and quickly it is not coming.  I trudge on.

Current Location:  Home for the Holidays in Bowling Green, KY.

Temperature Outside: Cold and humid = miserable

Past week: Finished exams and did horridly on all of them, am petrified to see results. Avoiding Belmont-related web pages because of it.  Spent a night at Opryland (I know... again?!) Ate out twice a day or more every day this week, shopped a lot but none of it was Christmas shopping. Received pair of very high heels, beautiful brown and gold and khaki heels.  Did not knit enough and am trying to knit behind mother's back (hard to do because she tends to flitter around a lot and pops up all over the place).

Quote for week:  "I'm going to marry you. Let's get married tomorrow." - my friend, a bit intoxicated, to me, who is always sober.

Mood:  Peaceful, missing people, but I know such feelings will pass and two days from now I won't be able to picture life differently.

Tonight: Youth Group is coming over for annual Christmas party.  Mom is worried cause Daddy is still out of town, but I'm here to help.  Little sister's two best friends are staying over, so we'll all be up late.

Knitting:  Have finished first two charts of Waves of Grain, am now repeating two rows until desired half-way length, then shall do it all over again.  In other words, SLOW!  Not good, considering what is left to be done in the next.... 7 days.  That's right. 7 days. *panic*

To do: Buy Silk Garden for Daddy's scarf!  I was going to knit him some socks but this scarf will be faster, easier, and more useful for him.  Problem is, I haven't bought the yarn, yet... Let alone started!

Pedicure + No Sleep = Recipe for lethargy.

Today:

Mom bought me an adorable little cocktail dress, chocolate brown with gold zippers.

Took a huge exam, not sure how I did...

Had dinner/snack with my sister, brother, Trev, Jeff and Mom. Love those people.

Got a pedicure!

After much thought and discussion with Dad, the decision was made not to buy a yarn store.  I am, after all, only halfway through my sophomore year of college.  I'm not exactly ready to live on my own, yet! Let alone work full time and be responsible for a  business.

The past week has been so much fun!  I've spent the majority of my time with my closest friends, done lots of shopping and gotten very little sleep.  I took my first final today and have a second tomorrow, another two on Monday.  Looking forward to the weekend!

Mother's scarf has been cast on and is 8 rows in!  As you know, I'm using Shimmer Galaxy, a laceweight yarn from knitpicks (it finally arrived Monday).  I bought beads and have chosen the Waves of Grain pattern from knitty.com.  It's going to be absolutely beautiful with the jewel-toned beads and subtle color changes in the yarn.  I am so very excited about this!

Well, I have two papers to revise and then I'm hitting the hay before midnight for the first time in days and days.

Wishing you all the best this Holiday Season,

Kathleen