Going to be brief, but sharing photos....

Ok, first, the Pi Progress Pic:
Ok, wrong again, lol.... It turns out that I haven't downloaded from the camera yet.... So, that pic can wait...

Next - I normally won't put anything online that gives too much away about who I am, or where I live, or any of that other safety first stuff. But, I'm going to make an exception....

See, there are these two pictures of me from the trip that I want to share....

I got to go play with dolphins. Not swim, mind you - I don't know how to swim, and besides, that cost more to do ;)

But, I got a "KISS" from a dolphin, and I got to hug two dolphins :) :) :)

So, here are those pictures -









I now love dolphins almost as much as cats!!!! And, I think it's going to become another collector item.... I already had one or two dolphin things, but bought a pair of dolphin earrings before leaving Mexico....

And yes, I did get a gorgeous sunburn, that faded out into white skin, then reburnt and became a tan. For the first time in my entire life, my legs tanned.

Oh, and I guess you could also say these pics show off my sewing skills, since that is the bathing suit that I sewed for myself. By hand - because my sewing machine was acting up at the time, and I needed it for a trip last March....

I need to add a couple blog buttons, too.... Will load the pi picture later, or maybe tomorrow.... Sorry about the delay. I'm into the second section of the Pi shawl from the cover of the Knitter's Almanac, up to round number 13 in that section of lace....

I'm also working on the cat latch hook project that was a UFO. I started it, called "Society Cat", a kit from J&P Coats, a couple years ago. I hope to finish that one off over the next little while. I'm in a yahoo group (Ok, I'm in more than one!) that is called UFO 12 for 12. We support each other in getting our UFO's finished, at least one per month. Well, this latch hook is my goal project for February.

And, I've got that dinner party this weekend. Chinese food - some 18 or so dishes....

OK. That's enough for today - I gotta go have lunch, and tackle some house work.....

Pi time....

Ok. I worked on the Pi Anniversary shawl the night before last. I cast on, and worked up to the 144 stitch increase. After that, one is to start a lace pattern. I did that last night. But DS and DDIL came over for a visit, so I didn't get to work on the shawl, or anything else, for very long.

Progress pic, you ask? Ok. Here 'tis.

So, with DS and DIL coming last night, I really don't have much else to share!!!

I'm planning a dinner party for next Saturday evening - have three people coming over. Need to tidy up the house (I'm not even going to bother saying "clean the house" 'cause I know I don't have time.) and then spend a couple days cooking. That's the fun part - the cooking. I enjoy it immensely!! I do a Chinese take-out style supper. Everything from the eggrolls to the fortune cookies.

Oh, I should, though, share about something else... Before Christmas, DH brought home a nice office style chair for us to use at the computer. We used to use a kitchen chair. Where he works, they've been doing some nice office renovations, and replaced a bunch of the chairs. So, this one would have likely ended up being tossed out.... Anyway, like I said, he brought it home for *us* to use.... Us HUMANS, that is.....

*sigh*.....

this is a test... :)

To see if I can post pictures today. If so, then I'll take one of my progress on the Pi shawl. I got a lot done last night. The Emily Oecker (sp?) circular cast on is super easy - and leaves a nice center. And it is easy to join, too.... I might just redo my Frost Flowers yet again.... lol....

OK, if possible, I'm going to post the picture of the scarf, coaster, and doily - unblocked, but you can see them, at least:

ALLL RIGHT!!!!! Ok, so now here are the socks, that don't match:

And the other picture I wanted to share yesterday: This is the mystery shawl number two, that I've woven in all the ends, but still need to block it. Looks pretty neat anyway, though.

Ok, so I'll be posting again later today :)

Some finished some started some pictures :)

Ok on the finished front: I finished a tote bag in crochet for the crochet along group, a doily that was done last year by the doily group but I just did it now, and some pictures of the alpaca (drool) scarf that I made for DH and pictures of my Socks That Rock yarn socks in Rhodonite colourway (www.handspinning.com/thefold look under Blue Moon Fibre Arts yarn....). Intersting thing about those socks. They are not matched socks. They are what some call "fraternal twins". They are obviously the same colour way, but knit up totally differently.

And I'm not totally sure that I'm happy with the short row heel pattern. Was a free pattern from the now no longer existant Oz Yarn site. Need web archive to find it.... it was a pdf, so I don't even have a URL to help.... but, if you go to google, look for wayback machine, and then use the www.ozyarn.com in the wayback machine, it should get you close...

OK, now for the some started: I dyed yarn with drink powder - aka "Kool Aid dyeing" to get what I had hoped was a nice pink. In the past, I used strawberry, cherry, and orange on some sock yarn, and part of that was a light pink. I guess, between the fact that sock yarn is part nylon, (25%, 75% wool) and the yarn I did now is 100% wool, and worsted weight; and the part where the sock yarn I did with sprinkling, but the ww yarn now I mixed the colour into the water first, I ended up with a darker pink than I expected. But, once it dryed, it lightened up some. It is still darker than I planned... But I'm knitting a Pi shawl from it anyway. What is a Pi shawl, you ask? Well, it's a round shawl that has a specific formula (which I'm still learning) involving increasing stitches based on how many rounds have been knit.... Originally created by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Variations in pattern may be added, so you can do almost anything with a Pi. I'm going to do one from EZ's book, Knitter's Almanac. In that one, there is a basic plain unpatterned Pi shawl, as well as a nice lace one. I'm doing the lace one. There is a Yahoo group for this - :) OF course :) and you can find the button (actually, two buttons) on the right. The group is the EzasPi group - smaller button a little farther down. They formed a year ago, and have decided to do an "Anniversary Pi KAL". There is a separate button for that - near the top of my buttons. Both will take you to the same group.

The KAL just started - and because of my trip, I didn't get my yarn dyed ahead of time, so I'm just a little behind the cast on date, which was Sunday. But, my yarn will be wound today, and I should be able to cast on tonight!!! Wuhooo!!!!

So, now to the pictures :)
Here is the crocheted tote bag, after I came home from shopping with it :)



Here is the contents of the bag....










Next is a group shot of two unblocked doily things - a "coaster" that was the crochet group project for December - Pointsettia coaster (aside - I am an idiot, because I never did get around to taking pictures of all the gorgeous flowering plants in Mexico... The hotel we were at had all the walkways lined with different plants. One walkway had lots of Pointsettias, and around the buffet restaurant too. In the morning sun, they almost glowed!!) and the Fans and Fantasies doily. Surrounding them, is the alpaca (drool) scarf I made for DH.

Ok, for some reason, this picture won't upload. I've tried three times. Let's see what happens if I try to upload the socks picture....

Hm. Nope....

Waht the heck is going on?????

OK, so I guess I'm going to have to try again later..... Sorry....

Progress report....

Ok, so I forgot that I did some crafting last night. *sigh* Ok, I have only one more round to go on the doily, Fans and Fantasy. I did some more leg on the shadow socks for the 6 sock knitalong group. Of course, that group is starting a new pair of socks in February, but I'm still working on the first sock of this pair.... And, I started the January crochet along project. It's a tote bag, worsted weight cotton, largish hook, so it shouldn't take long. I hope....

I'm trying desparately to a) get projects finished instead of taking off on new ones (except crochet or knit alongs) b) keep the pile in the living room under control and c) not let the WIP's I moved upstairs before Christmas turn into total UFO's.... I plan to finish the doily, then replace it with one of the projects I took upstairs. When I finish the tote bag, I'll bring something else back down... And, hopefully, won't be starting too many KAL's or CAL's.... I *am* going to probaby do the Feb. 6-socks, and there will be a Feb. doily, and crochet along (CAL), then there is the double knit socks that is going to start shortly, the mystery shawl 3, (button on side for mystery shawl 2 will work a little longer, and info about three is on there right now, but the group will close to new members the end of Jan.), the EzasPi anniversary Pi shawl knit along (KAL), and - oh, guess that is all the new projects that I'm committed to. Hm. Doesn't look so bad after all.

Got a phone call yesterday from DIL, who was telling me the GS LOVES his bear blankie. His Bear Buddy. Sleeps with it every night. Carries it around....

I've also got to get back to the knitted cat adaptation of that one....

OK, so.... Maybe today, while I take a break from life committments, I'll get the mini-digital going and take some pictures. If the sun comes out..... DH is very happy - says he's seen enough sunshine to last him a lifetime, but me - I got problems with S.A.D. so even though two weeks of intense sun therapy is making this winter more bearable, I'm hoping the sun can break through the clouds that have been hanging around for weeks.... so I'm told. I know, in winter, sunny days means very cold temperatures. But, a little of that in between the clouds wouldn't hurt too much.....

Let's see if I can find....

A suitable picture to share :)













Ok, so this is the Pacific Ocean, as it looks from the beach in Puerto Vallarta. Sadly, there is not much to show the scale - just how BIG those waves were.... And powerful.

I swam in that ocean.... In my life, I've swum in the Atlantic, and now I've swum in the Pacific :)

(Also in the Carribbean, but that's another story, lol)

Back to the waves. Many people question my sanity. Especially me. I do strange things all the time. I do crazy things, too.... Such as, I can't swim. I took lessons, but I never did get past the "beginner" level. I took lessons for six years. I never did get out of the "beginner" level. Why? Because I'm allergic to chlorine, which is used in public swimming pools. So, I refused to put my face in the water. Now, when you are a kid, and you won't do something, adults don't listen to why.... So, I was labeled "unco-operative" and "misbehaving" when really, I was trying to say "I CAN'T", not "I won't". But, I digress.... Point is, I have spent enough time playing around in a lake to know that I can swim to save my life, even if my technique isn't "Proper". So. I went into the ocean..... (Can't come home and say I spent two weeks at the beach and didn't even get wet!!)

Now, I saw other people in the ocean. And they were body surfing. That is fun to do - I've done it somewhat in a lake before. So, I knew the waves were big. I knew, too, from standing at the edge of the water that these waves were strong. I knew that I'd need to keep my wits about me, be carefull, all that. No problem. I started walking into the water, getting wetter and wetter, used to the coolness - and felt the waves sucking at the rings on my finger.... So, I went back and put the rings and my earrings into the beach bag with DH, and went back into the water to swim.

Catch the insanity part yet? :) The waves are strong enough to suck rings of a person's finger, and that person who can't swim (isn't a strong swimmer, no practice, etc.) is going to go play in those waves.

Well, I did get wet all over.... Had sand pounded into my hair by the waves. Had sand pounded into my body by the waves. And, every time I tried to get out far enough to try body surfing, had the waves throw me back onto the beach. I'm not exaggerating that one - the ocean kept throwing me out!!!! >:(

Finally, exhausted, I gave up.... Started walking out.... saw a big wave coming - walked back intot the water just in time to brace myself - if I'd caught that wave lower, it probably would have broken my shins!!! As it was, it nearly knocked me over hitting me around hip-height!!

But, at least I can say I've swum in the Pacific!!!!

And, the next time I got the urge to swim, I used the hotel pool :)

'Bout time I got back!!!

AND - finished objects to report :)

Ok, sorry for not posting sooner. I'm back from Sunny Puerto Vallarta Mexico. Have lots of stories to share about that trip, too. Just need to figure out how to use the new scanner to get a picture posted.... Yes, we have some digital pics, too, but there are a couple of old fashioned printed pics I want to share first....

Anyway. I also took with me a couple different projects to work on. Finished two of them. Got a chunk of progress done on a third :) I am now up to starting round 22 of the Feather and Fan doily. So, just rounds 22, 23, and 24 to do. I think I saw the word "picot" in round 24.....

Finally finished (though still need to photograph) the Rhodonite (Socks That Rock yarn) socks I started after coming home from BloomieFest (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BloomieFest2006) last year. I bought all my STR yarn there - and I'm hooked on it now. I love that stuff.... Merino wool, superwash, gorgeous colourways....
Oh, and you can find it at www.handspinning.com/thefold

And I finished the alpaca (drool) scarf for DH.

Now, I really do want to tell you more about the trip, and will try to soon. But, this is going to be a very hectic time at home. I am planning a dinner party on the 4th of February, and I really MUST clean the living room before that. I know, you guys heard all about my inability to clean it for Christmas, but I want to do it in the next two weeks. Not to mention, all the other "getting home and back to normal" stuff....

I can do it, I know I can.....

But, I'll try to pop in and update, even if it's only brief messages.... I'll try to load some pictures soon, too....