And my Secret Pal is....

I got my final package from my fabulous secret pal the day before yesterday. I was so excited, I took a picture right there at work with my Palm.

I got some swanky stuff from the Body Shop, Eucalan (I was going to buy some this weekend!), the book Knit Lit, a little pot I can grow lavendar in, and two balls of GH Mystik.

I also got a reveal!!! My secret pal has been... Parikha of Dropped Stitches! Thanks for the amazing packages, Parikha! I definitely felt spoiled. What's most amazing is that she kept up with Secret Pal 4 while in the midst of a cross country move. And I was getting stressed out over a move two towns away! The funny thing is, I had already read Parikha's blog a couple of times, when I was randomly clicking on blogs from the Secret Pals blog. Anyway, she's awesome, and you should check out her blog.

The secret pal I was sending packages to was Lalitha, at Knittylali! I had such a good time picking out things to send. She's branching out into sock territory, appreciates a fine yarn, and is studying to be a librarian. Drop by her blog and say hello!

I've always loved sending packages to friends, and that's what secret pals felt like, even though I wouldn't have known my secret pal if I walked into her on the street. I'll sign up again some time in the future.

Not a whole lot of knitting this week, but I did manage to finish the fronts of Zippy.


This photo is also courtesy of my Palm. The batteries for the camera are charging.

I broke from tradition and knit the fronts seperately, at the rate of one per night. I was feeling the need for something fast, and thought maybe doing one wee front at a time would be the ticket. And it was! Now I'm ready to tackle both sleeves together. They are casted on, but only about two inches long right now. I'll spare you the picture. The sweater is going to be so freaking adorable when it's finished. I believe I'll be inspired to cast on for a second baby sweater immediately.

I was going to knit last night while watching a movie, but felt so lazy I just watched (half) the movie (before falling asleep). It was one of my favorites: Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Anyone who's seen it can understand why I was so disgusted when I saw previews for the "updated" version, called simply Guess Who. The original is a funny movie, but not in a slapstick kind of way, and the acting is superb (I mean, come on! Tracy, Hepburn, Poitier....). If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

And it begins again....

Blogging and knitting have slowed a bit, first because of apartment hunting, and now because of moving. We found a nice apartment with heat and hot water included. (are those not the sweetest words? Well, aside from, "All yarn 50% off.") Because of this, I only have a bit of my Ribby Cardi to show.

I'm using Cascade 220 for this one, since I had it in my stash and I'm trying not to acquire anything else until we move. After I took this picture, I worked on it some more, and I'm just about to the arm shaping now. I wish I had more hours in the day for knitting!

In other news, I got more treats from my awesome Secret Pal!



I adore the Manos! I've never knit with Manos wool before, and I'm looking forward to it. What a gorgeous shade of blue! I plan to bake the scones tomorrow (I love cranberry everything), the candle smells divine, and the lotion... oh! the lotion! It's the best I've ever used, hands down. Secret Pal, you kick ass.

It was a gorgeous day today. Not quite warm enough to go without a jacket, but plenty warm enough to go get lunch at the drive-in and see some crocuses! Both cheer my heart, but the crocuses are probably my favorite sign of spring, because they remind me that color does occur naturally in nature, and the world will not continue to be gray, white, brown and black. I didn't have the digital camera with me, but I fired off a couple of blurry shots with my Palm.


You can see the bright colors of the crocuses along that wall. I can't wait for the tulips to come out!

This isn't particularly illustrative of the drive-in. I was trying to get a shot of the seagulls lined up on the roof, looking for food. In the summer time, they'll swoop right down and take your food off your tray if you don't bring it into your car. It's fun to watch the tourists lose their lunches!



Blogging will probably be pretty scarce around these parts for the next few weeks, but once we're settled in, it'll begin again in earnest!

Yay! FO and Secret Pal Goodies!

I stopped by work today to see if my iPod had been delivered (long story), and while it was not there, I did have a package!

My Secret Pal rules! I've been listening to the mix CD nonstop. The tape measure is the cutest knitting accessory I own now, and the cookies are delicious! Can't wait to try the tea and the yarn! Funny thing is, I used this exact same color to make a bag for a friend and loved the color! Thank you, Secret Pal!


I was sent home early the other day due to a raging snow storm, so I finally got a chance to cast on for the cowl. I would have worked on the cardigan, but I decided to have some wine with my lunch and had just enough peace of mind to know trying to count rows would end in disaster.




This cowl took no time at all. I knit it while watching Shaun of the Dead, and finished it while watching the special features. It's a fun knit because the yarn is so soft and nice and it's very warm. Thanks to Bonne Marie for the pattern!




In other news, if you've not seen Shaun of the Dead, go immediately to your video store and rent it. They had references to ALL the zombie movies in there, from "We're coming for you Barbara!" to the domestication of the zombie straight outta Day of the Dead. Of course, I love me some zombie movies. If you hate gore and the undead, this movie is not for you. But if you see some blood and guts and ask for more, this movie is hilarious and should not be missed!