Looking to the Summer

Sitting quietly today after work, I inhaled deeply and reveled in the knowledge I was wearing a tank top and I wasn't at all cold or chilled. In fact, it was warm outside and thus my arthritis wasn't bothering me nearly as much as it has all winter.

The knitting bug has firmly taken hold again and I am contemplating even more projects and what to do. The family is expecting a new baby in November and Sissy2 informed me that it even gets cool in Florida around that time so knitting something sort of warmish for a baby is absolutely grand.

There is some wonderful baby yarn I have left over from a previous hat project and now am debating if I want to make a little sweater, hat and booties out of it and throw in a nice little blanket because a friend of mine gave me some wonderful yarn that, I believe, would make a beautiful little baby blanket. I don't want it to be anything overly fancy, just simple and pretty. Currently we don't know what the baby is going to be, but neutral colors, greens and yellows, always go over well, or so I have been told.

Now all that remains is deciding on the sweater. I do have a pattern already for a baby kimono and, quite truthfully, I am leaning toward it heavily.

Besides the little baby things, I am preparing to delve into my first lace knitting of any summer, and socks. My goodness, how busy we knitters are! There is so much to knit and so many different things to try, or learn!

Nails and Yarn Its Surprising How Well They Go Together

Friday after work, Sniffles and I headed out to my nail place for a "fill and paint" with Tim, the guy who does my nails at Foxy Nails here in Lexington (in the Pimlico shopping center). Getting my nails done has become as important, maybe more so, than getting my hair done, because getting my hair done requires a LOT more trouble and work for me as well as for any stylist willing to work with someone in a wheelchair that tilts. Most stylists get really weird when I go in to ask about prices, so have stopped doing that. However, getting my nails done does not require so much stress and thus it is that little girlie treat I let myself have along with make-up and smell-goods. Still, having my nails done is my treat for me and I always tip well, because Tim cannot just sit there in a comfy chair and do my nails, he is on his feet just as much as he is sitting. I commend his spirit and will tip him each and every time I go.

After having the nails done and walking back to a house full of friends for the weekly role playing session - we are doing Feng Shui now - I felt relaxed and more...in control of everything while accepting I am truly not in control of anything. And, as often as not, yarn and knitting came into the forefront of my brain. One woman looked at my hands once and declared, "How on earth do you type, much less do anything else!" My response was that it was quite easy, I just do it. Now that I have pretty nails more attention is drawn to my hands and thus to the pieces I am knitting and this comment is coming more and more.

Plus, there have also been comments of how frivolous having my nails is since my hands look so weird any way.

Walking back from the nail place Friday with Sniffles I realized I am actually quite proud and happy with my hands. After all, my hands still work - just a little differently than most peoples because of the arthritis and might not be quite as strong - and I love them as well as love seeing what the can do with sticks and strings. It is like magic. So, OK, my hands are beautiful, perhaps, to you, but to me they are and they are quite accomplished hands. Who cares if I am never going to be a hand model. I sure don't! :)

O How the Needles Do Sing!

Work today was perfect for the day: It was gray and gloomy and drizzled rain here and there. The phones were not bad and there was space between calls for just some simple relaxation, so I brought the summer purse I am working on into the office and just let my hands and mind relax into the yarn and the process of knitting.

It was wonderful. Beautiful even.

It Feels Soooo Good!

Yesterday when I got off work I actually relaxed and picked up the knitting needles and some yarn. I have decided to make myself a beautiful summer purse in the Pink Lemonade range of Sugar & Spice cotton yarn. It is going to be a long shoulder-strapped purse with room for only a few things and my ever-present cell phone and now the ever-present Nintendo DSi.

Picking up the needles and playing with the yarn has already begun to wash away some of the stress I was unaware of in my shoulders until it began going away as I began to cast on. The knitting projects are all there, patiently waiting for me and I must admit I have missed them.

One of the coolest things about the DSi is that it has a camera (which was one of the reasons why I was not going to get it in the first place!) and I can take pictures of my knitting and post them here soon without too much trouble. I just have to get myself an SD card in order to transfer them back and forth.

Have Ya Missed Me?

Much has happened - I am now working from home for the same company. This is taking a bit to get used to, actually. It began this past Wednesday (04/29/09) and is supposed to continue from here on out.

There have been some hurdles. Small ones. I will explain them later on. Right now I just wanted to sign in and touch base with you all and to also let you know I am still alive and kicking and itching to knit again! Now that I am home and don't have to worry so much about transporting the knitting, the floodgates have opened in my brain and I am dying to get back into the yarn!