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Tell me that you love me more.
I don't feel like talking - I just feel like knitting. I feel like showing you my beautiful hydrangeas, how my dog likes to sleep, my new scarf which is the most beautiful purple malabrigo sock yarn (colour doesn't work so well on my little point and shoot), a hat before it is blocked, mitts for my daughter in law and one sock for my grandson - now back to the knitting.

The Fifth Day of Christmas

I'm sitting here alone, in my living room, Christmas tree lights blinking and stormy clouds outside my window. I miss my family, some of whom are in the states right now. I look forward to having Christmas with them in the coming years here, where it's warm and lovely on the day. My son, right now, is wrapped up in a winter coat and hat when all he wants is to grab his surfboard and head out for some waves after present opening on Christmas Day. My grandson knows who Santa Claus is for the first time and doesn't especially like him. He has a 'Gaga' (that's his name for me and now it's stuck) who lives in the computer. I long to give him a cuddle and hold him on my lap while I read the Night Before Christmas to him.

I don't really care about Christmas. I like it enough but it's awfully forced for too much liking. To me it is a day to spend with my sons - only one this year but he'll do - and eat good food, special food, that we wouldn't have the rest of the year. It is a time to talk to family and old friends. It is some time away from work and school to reflect on life and get some of those 'Isn't it a Shame' (I didn't have more time) things done. It's my time to go to galleries and exhibitions, movies and out for lunches.

I am sentimental over old Christmas years. I miss my Dad and other good friends and family memebers who have passed away - Dad loved Christmas for the same reasons as I like it - food and family. But as lonely as I feel, as sad as I am that I only get to Skype with my family, I also feel incredibly lucky in my life. I have health, safety, love, freedom, hot water and a toilet, hope, money, food, my eyes, the internet, quiet, independence, books, a creative mind, music, yarn and an open mind. Lucky. I will not take any of these things for granted in the future. I will revel in the fact that I can have a shower every day, go for a walk with no fear, drink clean water, read Salmon Rushdie and speak my mind. I will pay attention and be merry. I will drink a glass of eggnog and toast my good fortune.

Knitting, but not Today

Last night I stayed up late and finished a beautiful (I hope) shawl knit with beautiful Malibrigo (I know) sock yarn. Today I was going to soak it and block it but I just didn't get to it. Anyone who has knit lace knows that if I post a photo now it will just look like a purple lump of tangled wool. The blocking deserves attention so it will have to wait until next weekend.

Last week I finished one of two socks knit out of left-over stash yarn. I used the Bendigo 4 ply for another project and had bits of three balls left-over so my brother will get a pair of socks. These aren't a Christmas present, just socks. But who wants to post a picture of one sock?

I am also madly crocheting away on the big blanket for my friend's 60th coming up in February. I love the way it looks and it is about 2/3rds finished. I'll be very proud of it when it is done and will absolutely post a picture when it is.

Lots of knitting but no photos.

Today I made some more aprons. I got the pattern from Sweetwater's Simple Home book. I really love this book and plan to make more projects from it.



These are late Birthday presents for two friends in the states. I hope they like them. They were a lot of fun to sew. I have turned my study desk into the sewing table for December and January until uni starts again. I have a couple of projects ready and I also will be sewing some pants for myself.



A couple of weeks ago I sewed a shirt for myself and when I went to trim a seam I cut a huge hole right in the front. I'm not sure how to save it - I was so disgusted I just folded it up and stuck it in a plastic bag to look at later.

I am so looking forward to sewing and knitting with abandon over the next couple of months. I am taking 3 weeks off over Christmas but I am not giving myself any sort of list of things to get done in that time. I always feel so guilty when I don't accomplish all I said I would. I will make a list each morning of things I would LIKE to do on the day, but they will just be suggestions. I'll just see how I go.