Hi! Remember Me?

Sorry about the long blog silence. My sinus infection/neuralgia/shingles/whatever-the-hell-it-is has been kicking my butt but I think it is now improving. I can go whole hours without pain.

Yesterday was my birthday and I have to say that hearing the words "President-Elect Obama" was the best present I could have wished for. I only stayed up long enough to hear the start of McCain's concession speech and then I crashed. Today in the office a co-worker and I got to hear Obama's speech, which I thought was just wonderful. We both had to resort to tissues and have a good eye-wiping. I know he's got a battle ahead of him, but I think we're on the right path.

So that was a nice ending to my birthday....Fortunately, though, for my inner four-year-old, I got some awfully nice material goods, too.

I got a whole stack o'books, comprised of:

• Up High in the Trees – Kiara Brinkman
• The Amnesiac – Sam Taylor
• The People on Privilege Hill – Jane Gardam
• Field Guide to Knitting: How to Identify, Select, and Create Virtually Every Stitch – Jackie Pawlowski
• Nicky Epstein's Signature Scarves: Dazzling Designs to Knit
• The Misadventures of Maude March – Audrey Couloumbis
• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – F. Scott Fitzgerald
• A Writer's Book of Days: A Spirited Companion and Lively Muse for the Writing Life – Judy Reeves (My brother thought this might help when I was stuck for a blog post.)
• The Last Summer of the World - Emily Mitchell

and Arkanoid, a Nintendo DS game and a CD - Hovhaness: Mysterious Mountain/And God Created Great Whales.

In addition to some books and the game, Mr. Pointy Sticks also gave me a nice pocketbook (well, I picked it out) and a gorgeous opal pendant which he picked out.

And my neighbor gave me these:


An adorable needle gauge checker/ruler, an even cuter key chain with miniature sock blocker (also a needle gauge) and 2" ruler, and a Stitch Saver. Yes, I have another Stitch Saver but this one has my name on it! How cool is that!

I haven't been completely idle while I was sick.


Kaethe's socks are finished (and off my feet and washed) and will be going out soon. So I am back to working on the world's ugliest socks.


(Excuse the pajama pants...I was home sick one day. And yes, those are sheep on my pajamas.)

Finally, today in the mail I got this:


I couldn't resist the special Lorna's Laces colorway at Jimmy Bean's this month...it's called Taos Thanksgiving and it is the loveliest blends of peachy-rusts, gold and turquoise. (It's the two smaller skeins in the front of the picture.) Yum. I also got a skein of Lorna's Laces Special Sock in Gold Hill. I must be into these fall-ish colors.

I think I might use the Gold Hill for Anne Hanson's Spiralucious:


Whew! All this typing has worn me out. I need to go lie down.