Has me doing more than looking for the best eye cream. I’m finding I have a lot more time for knitting, too! Well, the early part and the staying off Facebook part. As I am sure you know, school has started and parents everywhere, me included, are up at the buttcrack of dawn to get the children on the bus. And then we do other stuff, like clean. And knit. I’ve finished 4 hats since the last one I posted. Go me!

This one went to Country, who was not it’s original intended recipient, but it was declared too girly for a man, and she liked it.

This one went to That One’s dad, for a “wear it in good health” type gift.

This one is going to That One’s sister, and now the whole fam will have hats.

And this one is That One’s.

Now I have moved on to finishing the pink Clapotis, and then…..who knows! I’ll admit that I am a wee bit tired of hats. At least for a bit.

Which, as you probably know, is considerably different than being ale to locate the pictures of said stuff I have made. Sigh. But I have them, somewhere. And I will find them, sometime. Perhaps after I take a few Online Classes in time and personal management, ya think?

Right now, I am working on a hat. It’s in the nature of a prayer shawl, this hat, but it’s for a man and men don’t wear shawls and I am fairly certain this man would look at me as if I had two heads if I were to present him with a scarf. Besides which, the hat will appear relatively mundane, since all the other members of his family have one already, and we won’t have to admit what it’s really for. Do you guys ever do that? Knit for people out of one motivation, but pretend it’s a different one or no real reason at all? And what is it that compels us to pick up the needles when stressed or upset? Are we trying to make happy out of unhappy or only to soothe our own scattered nerves?

Wow, ok. Not even going to try to answer that one today. But it bears thinking about, doesn’t it? Especially since I always call knitting under those circumstances “making love with my hands”. Hmmm.

So, I haven’t been doing very much knitting lately. I’ve been reeeeeeeeading instead. I have once again immersed myself in the Scottish Highlands with Claire and Jamie. Ahhh. Old friends, I have sorely missed you.

I did finish the hat for That One’s mom last week and started the one for his sister. I’ll post them both together when I finish the second one. And I am looking for a fairly simple project to cast on, in smoothish yarn because I have a class to attend on Saturday. I think I will be needing something for my hands to do, but I can’t be using up concentration on funky novelty yarn or complicated stitch patterns. DaBaby has asked for a sweater and since I brought all my yarn in, I may let her pick and start that. She’s small still, so I won’t be needing scales to decide if I have enough yarn for her. There’s plenty left of the stuff I made her hat from this past winter. She’s excited about the prospect of a matching set. I’m excited that she’s excited.

I do! Muhahahahahaha! While a couple of my friends were enjoying their Disney vacations, I was out shopping for buttons for the BSJ. I went to ACMoore first, but they have quit selling fancy button packs. I’m not sure why, because the place where they used to be is empty except for the pegs that used to hold them. Even the prices are still up. Weird, right?

Luckily for me, there is a JoAnn right across the street, and I was able to pick up these leaves. These are the same as the ones I thought I already had here.

With any luck, we should have an FO to report in the next few days!

Umm, ya’ll, forget the bubble gum. Apparently, I am unable to walk and *talk* at the same time. I sprained my ankle today gabbing with my 6 year old as we headed to the car! Times like this, I wish I had one of those new electronic cigarettes. Since I never smoke inside, it’s a hobbly habit for me!

On the bright side, I can’t do much standing, so perhaps there will be knitting in my immediate future! I’m still enjoying the clapotis, and if I sit directly over the air conditioning vent, I may just be able to work on it awhile. Good grief, it’s HOT!

Ok, this really is knitting related, so just bear with me. As you probably figured out from the picture I posted, I am knitting another Clapotis. This time, I am again using acrylic yarn, and it was so hot in my house yesterday that I was sweating on my leg where the yarn was. Also, the knitting was damp enough to squeak while I worked it. YUCK! And folks, the a/c ran all day long!! It’s crazy hot here!

Now, I read the Yarn Harlot, and I know she knits with wool year round, and yet, she complains of it being hot there. Granted not nearly as much or for nearly as long as we southern gals do, but still. How does she do it? Seriously? I mean, I am considering going to lace weight just to be able to knit, and most of my stash is already fingering weight! I guess in order to draw Canadians here to answer my questions, some search engine optimization canada might be in order. It would sure be a hoot to rank on the top couple of pages for “knitting blog” up there, now wouldn’t it? I’m pretty sure a plan like Search Engine People’s Organic Search Engine Optimization Services could help me do that. I don’t know what terms Canadian knitters search on, but I bet they do! I’m fairly sure that “hot acrylic clapotis” doesn’t top the list.

On the other hand, I might just content myself with my current standings and go drool again over the Shadow Tonal laceweight at Knitpicks. I love, love, love that Queen Anne colorway, and you know it doesn’t take much of an excuse to get me to buy yarn. Kinda like the Yarn Harlot, LOL!

So, Sunday, I decided I was going to finish the little BSJ and then cast on a Clapotis. I made *knitting plans*, people. And then, like a good little knitter, I proceeded to execute them. Everything was chugging along nicely until I got up to get the buttons for my little sweater and discovered that I didn’t have any that were suitable.

I kinda had a wee knitting meltdown at that point!

Call me crazy, but it took me 20 minutes and a phone call to convince myself that it was OKAY to go ahead and wind the yarn and start the Clapotis even though the BSJ wasn’t finished if I had taken it as far as I could with what I had here at home. Because I was absolutely NOT getting dressed and driving 20 minutes one way and then agonizing over buttons and then driving back home and sewing them on on Sunday. Not. Sometimes, I think I get a little too rigid with my plans. Just sayin’

My best friend once looked at me and said, “Cass, you are a little anal.” Well, Joan, it hasn’t gotten any better, apparently. But at least now I can laugh about it. Later.

Anyway, here is the BSJ, finished except for buttons:

And here is the caston Clapotis, in shades of pink:

Now then, now that the knitting is out of the way, let’s talk about a shiny thing. That One and I always say that when we abruptly change subjects in the middle of something we really ought to be finishing a discussion on. It’s apt, because we are both easily distracted, each having a great love for the sound of our own voice. Specifically, I want to talk about how one gets ready to buy gold bullion. If you’ve done it, were you more interested in the beauty or the investment value? Did you buy coins or ingots? And did you sell it later or do you still have it? If you sold it, were you pleased with the earnings growth, or do you wish you had held it a little longer? If you haven’t sold, why not–is it because of the market, or are you holding out because you have certain plans for that money and the time is not yet right? I mean, I know it’s gorgeous, and it’s sparkly and useful for decorating one’s self with, but what else do I need to know? What’s your personal 411 regarding it?

Dear self:

It is time to start another Clapotis. In fact you need to start two of them. In shades of pink. For the purpose of the one you have already made. You need to so this as soon as you finish the BSJ. Unless, of course, you have already done it by the time this post auto publishes on Monday.