Section 8 is along the top of the picture from left to right. Per Vicki’s request, I took another picture and included one of Poe’s tennis balls for scale.

As written, the pattern will make a blanket that measures 40″ x 43″, which is a decent enough lap size. It looks like I will have some extra yarn at the end of this project and am considering simply making more sections until it runs out. Cara sent me this link to an interview with Kathy Merrick detailing things to consider when enlarging the design.

Last week I declared that I had come to the end of the indoor pigs. I told a few people that I am running out of patience for this pig-a-day thing, but more to the point, the sheer size of my collection is freaking me out. Good Lord I have a crapload of pigs! I like to think that my house is not freakishly ‘piggy’, but this little photographic exercise would suggest otherwise. It is time to face the truth and have a stern talk with myself – I have officially become That Crazy Lady. Anyway, my sister in law reminded me of a few other indoor pig things that I have yet to show – so here are a few that I found but I hereby declare I will not be going into any boxes or way backs of closets to dig more out. And yes, what that means is I have only shown you the surface of my collection!

these are pig measuring cups. They were bought for me by an eight year old D#1 at the elementary school’s Holiday Boutique. awwww!

do you suffer from hog cholera?

it is so hot and humid around here the only thing to do is to sit in the air conditioning and knit. The thunderstorms they keep predicting never seem to materialize. sigh. I do believe I am developing a case of fall fever.

I am looking forward to cooler days, pot roast, not having to water outdoor potted plants and most of all not listening to the drone of the air conditioner! I will have to remember this when I am bitching about raking leaves! It’s odd, when I am shut indoors during the summer I feel shut in and out of touch – but in the fall it’s cozy.

Here is section 8. I am in love with this pattern and this yarn!

Today I am taking D#2 for her driver’s license. I have checked and rechecked all of the paperwork and believe that everything is in order – I don’t want a repeat of the last time I took a daughter for her test! keep your fingers crossed!

In other news, I am exhausted. Ladies I hate to break this to you, but Mr. Boar has a dark side. I know he seems wonderful but there is something I haven’t told you.

Mr. Boar is a serial snooze alarmer. His alarm began going off at 4:15 this morning and proceeded to go off every 10 minutes. I finally growled at him and got out of bed myself at 5:00. Boar followed shortly after but it wasn’t my own ire that got him up, it was Lucy’s! After I left the room, she got all upset because she couldn’t follow me. The bed is too high and the room too dark for her to jump down unassisted and so she paced around the bed and panted until he helped her! Since the air conditioner was on, he even had to go so far as to open the door for her. I guess that was enough to get his day started.

I know that maybe I should take a hint from Lucy and get him out of bed with pacing and panting, but we all know that that would lead to a whole other can of worms!

Today Boar and I will be on an all day charity outing. We will be going on a wine tasting tour of vineyards on Long Island’s North Fork.

Over the weekend, I finished and seamed section 7 of Babette and I also cast on for Lotus Blossom! There was lots of fiber activity. It was so hot and humid that I simply sat inside all day!

I won this guy in an Ebay auction. He sits next to my ‘knitting’ chair, holding some essentials. During the auction, I didn’t realize he is supposed to be a policeman and I was pretty horrified to discover that fact when he arrived. I was raised with a healthy respect for the police and would never dare to refer to them as ‘pigs’ – my parents would have wrung my neck! Anyway, I didn’t begin to feel better about this particular pig until Carrie K. told me that her father is a retired police officer with an extensive pig collection! Pride, Integrity & Guts

Section six is there running from top to bottom on the right hand side. Section seven started of with a 12 round square, which takes awhile, but I’ve got that one done and a few of the others as well.

The pattern for Lotus Blossom shawl arrived the other day and I want to get that on the needles too. It will make a much more portable project than Babette.

Today I am cashing in on my mother’s day gift. The girls and Boar bought me some massage treatments and a facial at a local spa. In honor of this, I thought it might be a nice gesture to shave. So, I am about to get in the shower, when I notice that my razor isn’t in its usual spot. It turned up in the girls’ bathroom. Why do they take mine, when they have the exact same model?

But the bigger question is ……. how long has it been missing? the very scary answer ……. I have no idea.

sure it’s a pig picture but
check out those adorable girls! awwww

Yes my dears, Boar and I have the house completely to ourselves. Things are hot and steamy around here. We still got the romance, I tell you what! If you were a fly on the wall at Chez Swine, this is what you would have heard ….

Boar and Ann sit in their den, each in their respective chairs.

Boar is cruising the channels while Ann crochets. They have a brief conversation, discussing whether they should go out and get ice cream. The issue is who should be the one to get the ice cream.

Boar: You’re the one who wants it.

Ann: But you have to be the one to get it. I am in my nightgown.

Boar: Yeah. You’re like the Grandma Trifecta over there.

granny squares

granny glasses

granny nightie

That Boar is pretty funny sometimes! We got so distracted with laughing, we never did get ice cream. Now before I get too distracted, here is your pig for the day! I can’t remember if that wine was any good or not, I just had to have the bottle!

ps. those granny squares are section 6 which I will be seaming today.

Section Five has been added!

Does it appear I am flying through this project? Last night I was thinking the same thing myself and thrilling with the thought. I mean, this thing has 10 sections and I am finished with 5. My mathematical acumen tells me I am halfway through already. But NO! No sooner had I smiled at the prospect of having this complete in record time, it occurred to me that the sections get bigger the further out I go. Seaming this last section took about 90 minutes.

Here is Mr. Poe inspecting the seaming job.

he says, “Well done!”.

Here is a look at my Babette blanket progress. The picture shows sections 1-4, complete with seaming! My idea to work the squares in the order they are put together and to seam them as I go along is working out well. I can’t imagine dealing with all of these squares at the end. And for all you disbelievers, how about a peek at the back?

Yesterday I had the pleasure of singing Happy Birthday to Kathleen. As a matter of fact, today is the actual birthday, so go on over there and wish her a happy one! She hosted a lovely luncheon (that Kevin rocks in the kitchen!). The food was delicious and a gathering of fiber enthusiasts is always a great time! It was a lot of fun hanging out with Susan, Granny, Marilyn, Ricki and Nancy. Nancy brought along her lovely family, including scrumtralescent Rinaldo! Are you aware that Rinaldo and I have a thing going on?
Guess what, Kathleen wasn’t the only one receiving presents! the flame of love still burns brightly

…… a present from Rinaldo!

The large center square and the two smaller six-round squares are seamed together. The panel on the right with the four, four-round squares needs two two-rounders and then that will be ready for seaming too.

I just re-read that last sentence. whew! I don’t know how else I could have written it though.

Anyway, I am loving this project! The crochet is easy and the colors are fabulous and exciting to work with. I am using Knitting Notions yarn and it is wonderful. Oh, and I also ordered the pattern for Lotus Blossom – in addition to all this color, there will soon be lace!

Here is a finished 12 round square. It is the center block of Babette. The pattern calls for a few of these bigger squares. I finished this one at the Spinning Guild meeting last night.

Our meeting was a covered dish dinner along with an auction. Everyone brought in items for donation (I took the opportunity to de-stash – God did that feel good!) But I did not come home empty handed – check out my loot:

These beauties were spun by another guild member, Gunther. He has won first place prizes at MSWF for his spinning. There are a couple of skeins of each. Do you remember the fabulous grab bag present I scored at the Guild’s holiday party? Well, Emma is Gunther’s granddaughter. There must be a spinning gene in that family! I am thinking of combining Gunther’s and Emma’s into a Hap Shawl, wouldn’t that be cool?

and this little cutie was donated by Sharon. She found him at a garage sale. I am going to fill him with knitting and spinning necessities and keep him close by.