Kiss Me …..

1. 1. I’m Irish
2. 2. I’m quitting smoking!

This is it — my last day of smoking!  I started out this week dreading tomorrow, but now I find myself almost looking forward to it.  After a beer tonight to celebrate the day, I will have my final cigarette.  And I will look forward to healthier lungs and more cash for stash! 

In honor of this auspicious occasions, Vicki and I have started a webring.

If you would like to join us, look in my sidebar for the sign up link.  I have heard from someone (who did not include their name in the email) who will be quitting too, but she doesn’t have a blog.  If you are blogless and about to be cig-less, let us know and we can post your progress on our sites!  Furthermore, you don’t have to actually go cold turkey to join — it was a cute & catchy name.  Both Vicki and I are using quitting aids.  I was at Costco yesterday and picked up the first step of the patch system for myself and the nicotine gum for the Boar.

It is turning into quite the fiber filled week around here.  Tuesday was waffles and fiber with Kathleen and Sue.  Last night was spinning guild — there was a Melissa sighting!  Despite having dropped from the blogging radar, she is alive and well — just extra busy these days.  Maybe if we beg and plead she will post a picture of her gorgeous fair isle hat!  Also at the guild meeting was her partner in crime, Joanne.  Today is an afternoon get together with some knitting friends and Friday afternoon is knitting guild where Vogue will be presenting some samples.  And then, Joanne is hosting a Friday evening needle felting extravaganza!

Whew!!! 

Warning:  Swine is turning into a sycophant!

I have joined another Knit Along.  When I started this site, I never joined the KAL’s — didn’t want the pressure.  Now I can’t seem to stop myself!  I feel like a toady.

But seriously, how to resist Black Water Abbey yarns?  What better way to justify the expense than to join up?  Does it make a difference that I am knitting something for my Boar?  That the name of the pattern is Halcyon and it’s good for my vocabulary? 

This also ties in quite nicely with my conundrum of yesterday – I like to wear plain-ish sweaters.  So my knitting skills are never expanded.  So I shall knit something more challenging for my Boar.

What? ….

I never finished the Fry Up?

It just so happens that I spent last night cleaning my knitting plate as it were ……

I spent a lovely morning munching on waffles with Kathleen and her mother Susan.  Susan was wearing a fabulous Starmore creation – I can see where our Miss Katy gets her talent!  We had a great morning chatting about knitting.  Holy Mackeral – Susan needs to get a blog and Kathleen needs to start doing some bragging — the stories these two had!!  I am sworn to secrecy, so don’t bother asking me to tell!  We did stop our jaws long enough for Susan to show me the continental method – something I have been practising a bit, but need to get much better at. 

We were also discussing the merits of knitting things that you’ll wear versus things that stretch your talent. 

For the most part I knit things that I will wear (with the exception of some crazy Fry Ups and Hallowigs).  There was a time when I would expand the knitting repertoire – mostly when the girls were little and I was in charge of dressing them.  I did cables and intarsia.  Nowadays I seem to knit ‘simpler’ designs — not that the patterns are necessarily easy.  I love looking at colorwork sweaters, but can’t see myself wearing one.  I think that cables would be too bulky.  I look better in less ‘fussy’ designs — but then I end up knitting miles of stockinette. 

**this can only mean one thing …. I need to lift my moratorium on knitting for others!

Where do you knitters fall in this discussion?  Do you knit it because you can, or do you knit it because you’ll wear it?

thanks for all your great comments guys!  You really know how to make a girl feel good!  ;)   

Other things that make me feel good?  packages!  A surprise from Vicki was waiting in my mailbox yesterday!  This couldn’t have come at a better time — Daughter #1 was in a minor fender bender yesterday (very minor — she really just got ‘tapped’).  As I am on the cell phone with her trying to access the urgency of this accident, I am thinking – how the f*!k am I ever going to quit smoking???  Add to this many college decisions and discussions taking place here at Chez Swine – it’s a wonder I haven’t set myself on fire!

Back to my mailbox — here’s what was in the box:  a pug magnet and pug/dog notecards!  Please note that the pug on the card is wearing a sweater!!  And for the nosy amongst you, here is a shot of the front of my fridge!

Knitting news:  the bunnies are felted and awaiting faces.  The second Clapotis is 1/2 done.  I am mulling over joining this KnitAlong …..