Ahhh! The hustle and bustle of Christmas is over and now we enjoy the fact that we are off from work, entertaining guests, visiting with families! I love it. I did finish the hat project for my beloved. I hope he liked it. I finished it on Christmas Eve. Speaking of Christmas, I received some very nice gifts. A ball winder! My husband consulted Ragged on where to acquire one and also included in the package was a sock kit that included the book "Knitting in the Round" with yarn and two #1 circular needles! I was very excited! I also received two travel coffee mugs which I requested. One is made where you can insert pictures. The kids made a very cute page of pictures with some of my favorites and put them into the holder of the cup. It looks great. I also received a nice knitting bag from my mother which was desperately needed and a co-worker gave me the book domiKnitrix. These, along with the special gifts from Ragged chronicled in an earlier entry, I am so happy! Thanks EVERYONE!

The hat is made from Malabrigo yarn that Ragged and I purchased at a holiday open house from a yarn store in a nearby town. The hat pattern I used is a version of the London Beanie.

Special Friends

Ragged and I got together here at my house for a little dinner and Grey's Anatomy ...and knitting of course. We also exchanged Christmas gifts. She is too good to me. I received a very nice copy of the Knitter's Handbook and a gift certificate to our nearest LYS. I am so excited! Thanks Ragged!

A couple of weeks ago Ragged and I met up to attend a holiday open house in a nice yarn store in a nearby town. We had a great time. We milled around for more than an hour coveting yarns and touching them all. We even came away with a few goodies. I had noticed that Ragged had some Lorna's Laces in her basket at one time, I had the same in mine. I made it home with mine, she had changed her mind and left hers behind. I know she loves Lorna's Laces and the color is gorgeous. So, I made a trip back and that's what she received from me along with a gift certificate for a book. She has a vast collection of knitting books and she is an avid reader. So I didn't want to take any chances on duplicating anything she may already have. It was a lot of fun having her over, although the dinner could have been better. We did have a nice dessert, peppermint ice cream. Everytime we have time to get together I learn that she and I have a lot of the same interests and tastes. It's pretty amazing. She's a special person and I am pleased to have her as my friend. I wish her and Cynical a very Merry Christmas.

IMAGINATION or DAYDREAMS

Last night my husband and I decided to go out to dinner after dropping our youngest at the movie theater. On the drive into town I started, sorta daydreaming. I was thinking to myself, at 42 years old, I long for when I was at a much younger age and that feeling I felt when my family took drives to our grandparents homes to visit. The drive took 45 minutes to an hour to make on winding roads deeper into the country. Sometimes the weather was bright and sunny, sometimes not. Sometimes there would be a dusting of snow on the ground. But I remember looking out the window of the car and daydreaming, my mind would literally wonder wildly from one thing to the next....I would watch the hillsides with the trees go by, if it was fall, I would notice the vibrant colors and also notice how it made me feel inside to see it. It was an overwhelming feeling. Then, my mind would wonder to how the sun was casting shadows along the road, glistening through the trees, warming my face as I peered outside in a daydreamed daze. But all the while, noticing how it made me feel inside. I hoped I would never lose that feeling. But, somewhere down the road of age, I can't seem to find it. Imagination, daydreams, they just aren't the same. Is it because when I was younger and not having experienced a lot in life as of yet, I imagined what it would be like to actually experience whatever I happpened to be daydreaming about. Now that I am older and have experienced those feelings, there is nothing to imagine. No feeling to imagine, because I have already experienced them. I miss it. This morning I was reading Scrumptious Living and it was like looking into a mirror. I do the same, wanting everything to be perfect and working like a dog to get it there and when it doesn't get there, I am somewhat dissappointed. I retreat. I try not to be let down, I tell myself that there are always other things that have to be considered that get into the way of the perfection. Others wants and needs. You know I try, but sometimes it just isn't good enough. Sometimes, I don't have the inner strength, much less the physical strength to pull it off and I just want to give up. It's such an uphill battle. Should it be? Is that the way it is supposed to be? When do you get to enjoy that feeling inside? At what point is it all perfect? Just when you think you have it perfect, something comes along and sheds a light of imperfection. ~~These are ramblings, because that's what I needed today. To ramble. It's imperfect.

I've been struggling with getting into that mood for the season, be it creative or festive. It usually comes early for me. I love this time of year. I think back on how perfect my mother made everything at this time of year. She too struggled for that perfection, to have everything done, she still does. This year, so far for me that mood is just not here. I so want it to be, it's going to mess with my perception of perfection if it doesn't come. My perfection will be less if it doesn't come. ~~These are ramblings, because that's what I needed today. To ramble. It's imperfect.

The picture was taken in October of the woods outside the back of our home. Of course pictures never do justice to the vivid colors we experience in Kentucky during the Fall.