The Silver Lining

Well, perhaps it's more of a fuzzy wool lining. To my cloud of plague, I mean.

I've been feeling pretty lousy for several weeks, but today I decided I didn't even care if my eyes were dry and felt like sandpaper. I wanted to knit something.

So I knit the "Spiral Hat." I'm sure there is a pattern out there in the knitting universe to make such a hat - but I decided to make it up myself.

I based it on Crazy Aunt Purl's "easy roll-brim hat recipe" and added the purled spiral pattern. I haven't quite figured out how to write up, but when I do, I'll post it here. This is pretty much my first unique creation and I am pleased!

I'd like to thank the girl on the bus this winter who wore a hat with a similar pattern. I stared at her hat for so many weeks, I'm surprised she didn't take a restraining order against me. I guess a normal person would have asked her about her hat. But I've never claimed to be normal.

Spiral Hat

It's Alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, I didn't exactly create life with my knitting needles, but she is by far the cutest thing I've ever made.

Happy New Year

Welcome to 2007.

My friends and I in the big W celebrated in style: with board games and champagne.

Jon called us from the future. He gave us a head's up on the flying cards and voting monkeys that would take over in the new year, so we were prepared when midnight rolled around.

We talked a big game about ghost riding, but what with the flying cars, it didn't translate well into reality .

The night ended with socks! How else it would it end?

Yarn ... and more yarn! And voting! Lots of voting!

Yesterday I went to Windsor Buttons (since 1938) and bought oodles of balls of yarn. Hello Christmas presents, here I come!

And this morning I voted. WEEEEEEEEE! Voting is fun. You get to fill in little circles with a special marker. And, because this is Boston, I voted for the Green Party and the Working Families Party for some races (but not, "important ones" like governor - Deval Patrick!). Things like Official Coat Checker of the Commonwealth, or something like that. And I refused to vote for Dianne Wilkerson for state senate. Love her to death, but honestly, how many times can we let public officials screw up their personal finances even more than I do? I wrote in "Chang-Diaz" which is the candidate I voted for in the primaries. Good luck, Chang-Diaz! (yeah, right).

I have so much blogging to catch up on. So many things have been happening (hence: too busy to blog).

I meant to blog over the weekend, but somebody's wi-fi was pass-code protected and he didn't know the code (ahem, badger boy).

Anyway, I've knitted socks (wahoo), been reprimanded by the Mayor's Office, talked to Senator Kerry's office (he won't be able to make the annual meeting) and received an autographed Bruin's hockey stick in the mail (um, thanks? and this will get used at the annual meeting how? Mayor Menino, thank you for your years of service on behalf of Boston's frailest, neediest elders. Have a hockey stick.). Not that I don't appreciate the gesture. But, really. Kind of an unexpected delivery to say the least (it came in a very large plastic fed-ex bag, if you're wondering).

I am also working on perfecting my Ode to a Postage Meter. It's really touching, really.

But right now, and since about 10:00 this morning, I have been battling a head ache. And being hot. I think I may have a fever .... I can't get sick! I can't!

I also somehow shaved off part of my finger nail while in the shower over the weekend. If you know me well enough, you know I'm a klutz enough to do just that. Don't dwell, don't think "how?" And try not to squirm in anguish, because after the initial gushing of blood, it's really not a big deal (although I will not be wearing finger nail polish anytime soon!).