Monkey Socks Received

I received amazing gifts from three Sock Monkey Angels - and angels indeed they are. Rachel from Vermont made a pair of Monkey socks that fit my large feet with perfection. They were made from Serendipity Zen String in the Pagaea colorway (beautiful blue and greens).



Melissa from Australia send banana candy, a Cookie A Twisted Flower sock pattern and a koala key cover. So cute.



Esther from California sent a Cookie A Thelonious sock pattern with the cutest Monkey stuffed animal ever who was holding Body and Earth vanilla sugar (the monkey must have known I needed a little extra pampering). Also Esther sent a Knitpickers Yarn Traveler's bag I can use to hold a sock project while I travel, Monkey valentines and stickers, a black cell bag, a sunflower notecard and Tofutsies color 727 (pink and dark gray) sock yarn.

WOW - I was blown away. To everyone who saved me from despair, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. This was such a special act of kindness and I appreciate your generosity and Rachel's and Rebecca's hard work to make this happen. I only hope I can do the same for another Monkey swap when an angel is needed. I hope everyone has received a package by now. Mine was certainly worth waiting for.

STOS-ii Begins Friday

On the 18th we will receive our first clue from Nautical Knitter. Their team has created a useful site Knit with Us. Please go over and take a look and consider doing a shawl. Its not too late to begin especially if you have lace weight materials ready to go.
http://www.knitwith.us

Five Things to Accomplish in the New Year

Sock It To Me Two asked us to post five things we want to accomplish in 2008

1. Spend more time with family members who live in Georgia, New Mexico and Ohio.

2. Lose weight (25 pounds) by exercising more in fitness classes that are fun (belly dancing, yoga)

3. Finish more knitting projects (especially socks) and participate in monthly book clubs (having read the books completely when I get there)

4. Fulfill all my obligations to swap pals and forgive those who have not filled their obligations in 2007

5. Get my health conditions more under control with weight loss, exercise, understanding complications that could arise if not brought under control

Sock It To Me Twice Christmas Memories

Some of my Christmas memories - While my three brothers and I visited with Santa and then waited for him to arrive at our house on Christmas Eve, we spent time together with my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins playing in the snow and leaves, making snowmen, looking at snow globes, making peppermint brownies with my aunt, going out to get the tree in the local forest, then taking it home and decorating it. We also made gingerbread houses, wreaths, ornaments, cookies and advent calendars for our neighbors. I remember loving fruitcake from the first time I tried it. We made warm casseroles with other church members and delivered them to shelters downtown. We always had a big Christmas dinner which included ham and turkey. We sang Christmas carols and listened to the stories of baby Jesus and Joseph and Mary and how Christmas came to past. On TV we saw over the years emerge the Christmas Carol, the Nutcracker, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and what Rudolph and Charlie Brown were doing. We always knew we had been good boys and girls and that Santa would not leave a lump of coal in our stocking that we hung from the staircase. We set up the Christmas village and lit it up. Then we went to church on Christmas Eve and sang beautiful songs that celebrated what Christmas is all about. When we were on our way home we caroled at the neighbor's houses and they gave us hot chocolate with marshmallows. For this holiday season, I'm working on a Sumac shawl in red and various colors of striped dishcloths for my immediate neighbors here and solid socks and gloves for all my relatives in Ohio and Georgia to keep them warm. I'm in a warm climate now (as I was ages 9 through 13) where the climate is warm and still in the mid-80s. It is now that I wish for my childhood days and draw from those memories as the holiday season approaches and while my two oldest daughters and a grandson and my parents are in the continental United States, I feel I am with them in the Christmas spirit. But I still miss the fireplaces (but I can still sit in front of one when we go to the big island and I'm at the Volcano House and I can still make a snow angel on Mauna Kea).

Mystery Shawl 6

MysteryShawl6button
Originally uploaded by patrioticcrab

Mystery Shawl 6 just started with the first clue provided. It looks interesting.

Secret of the Stole = Guinevere

Secret of the Stole 1 finished this week and SOTS 2 will begin in January.

The designer's website is at http://www.islandzephyr.com/blogs/nauticalknitter/ She is offering her pattern for sale and details are on her blog.

SOTS2 sign up at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/secretofthestole-ii/?yguid=299470603

SOTS2
Originally uploaded by patrioticcrab

A Day of Thanksgiving - Sock It To Me Twice

Here are some of the things I am grateful for this Thanksgiving Day (in no particular order):

1. A Safe and Secure Home

2. Extended Family Members

3. Liberty

4. Rainbows

5. Autumn Leaves

6. Things to Laugh About

7. The Ability to Travel

8. My Oldest Daughter, First Grandson and My Middle Daughter's Dog, Marley

9. Tea Rooms

10. Fresh Food

11. Beautiful Sunsets

12. Knitting