I am quite excited this evening.

Tomorrow, at my local yarn store, everything is going to be 40% off.

Everything.

I plan to be there as soon as they open.

I will share my findings.

FOB #1

If Santa could really bring anything at all, what would it be?

1. I know it sounds cheesy, but it would truly have to be peace. I mean, just like the song says: "People all over the world, join in. Join the Love Train. Love Train."
Or
"All we are saying is give peace a chance."

On a purely personal level, I would have Father Christmas ensure that the baby be healthy, wealthy in the ways that really matter, and wise.

Or just let LB wake up tomorrow morning without any of this sickness that has been dogging him for almost a week now.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Finished the cover for the body pillow today. LB loves to "help" when I use the sewing machine and he had a good time with this. THe fabric is some older upolstery fabric from either my 1oo year old grandmather, or Hubby's 98 (on Christmas Day) year old grandmother. I can't remember in which person's stash I found this. My love of yellows, greens and blues is happy when I look at it. It looks very grandmotherly. I like that too.

I think today is supposed to be FOB #2 and so I give you my list of two items. I have decided it will be the names that LB has chosen for the baby. I read him out our long list of names for boys and girls and these are his choices:

1. Angus Scott (His father watches AC/DC concert videos while rowing on our Concept2 rowing machine. LB loves to be in there, watching his dad row and watching Angus Young play the guitar. I think this may have had some influence on his name choice. I don't think we've mentioned Bon Scott's name much, but, you never know.)

2. Flora

He insists that it will be a boy and not a girl now. A month ago, he was insisting just the opposite.
We have a very Scottish last name, so I think either of these choices go quite well with it. If only my husband and I could figure out which names we like. Even if we could take some time to narrow it down to 8 or 10 for either gender, it would be helpful.

LB is sick again. I thought he was getting better at my last posting, but I was wrong. He still has a fever of around 101 and congested sinuses.
And today Mr. Fiber is sick. I'm hoping he will fight this off with a good night's sleep and be better tomorrow.
Two years ago, we all had the flu for Christmas.
Not much fun.
Why don't 3 year olds realize they are sick and act that way? It would be so much easier if he would just lay in bed and rest.

This is what happens when men are in charge of the child care while they do yard work.
LB loved it.
This was on Monday this past week. The next day, LB became quite sick. Thursday he seemed to get a bit better, then that evening was sick again with something different. That same day, I became sick with who knows what. (37 week pregnant lady with insanely moving baby constantly kicking her upset stomach. Not fun.) Now we both are better and I will make my FOB #4 post, and make up my own #3 post.

FOB #4 What's off your to-do list

1. present buying - This was finished completely earlier in the week.
2. gift knitting - I finished this a little while back. I kept my list reasonable this year due to the pregnancy.
3. I know this wasn't on my list, but being over these sicknesses from this week is a great relief!
4. Figuring out our Christmad Eve and Christmas Day meals. (We have to do the grocery shopping today, but we have the meals figured out.)

My FOB #3 Three projects that are happily now on my to-do list

1. Wine and Roses Mitts from the current Interweave Knits (halfway through the first one)
2. Cover for my big ol' body pillow that is great back help when nursing (fabric washed and ready to be cut and sewed. Hope to get to that today.)
3. Top Secret Wallace and Gromit paper puppets that will be taken to the office store today and laminated. Then I shall affix them to popsicle sticks for LB. I may make them into stocking stuffers.

These are all projects I am excited about doing. It's nice to have things like that again.

FOB #5 Senses

How do I experience the season with my senses? This is a great list idea led by Knatty Knitter.

1. Sight - I just have to drive by someone's over the top Christmas yard display. It just doesn't feel like Christmas if I haven't seen the multitude of lights, blow-up Santas, manger scenes, and in recent years some "God bless America" slogans.
Not that I would ever do it, but I just have to see it. THere is something strangely comforting in the fact that some people do this.
I think it may be a feeling that is akin to the one I feel when I watch this guy. (Thanks Glaistig for exposing me to that one!)
2. Sound - In the past few years, my two Ultra Lounge "Christmas Cocktails" cds have put me in the holiday mood.
3. Touch - The pine needles of our Christmas tree. So kind of hedgehoggy. But if you touch the wrong places, you get a bit of sticky sap. That part is not so fun.
4. Taste - Red Bird peppermint candy sticks. They are NOT the same texture as candy canes. These are not so hard at all. When I was real little, we would stick these into an orange and suck the juice out through the stick. Yummm...
5. Smell - Walking into our house to smell a real tree. Mr. Fiber used to work for a tree service before going into law school. The "eau d'arbor" was quite nice. The tree smell at Christmas reminds me of those times.

And, I feel I should just mention after my last post, I married the hubby in spite of the fact he had red hair, not because of it. I was never attracted to red headed guys. Just didn't want y'all thinkin' I was obsessive about that.
I do love the Weasleys, though.
:)

Cat tagged me with a meme that I haven't gotten to yet, what with all of the FOB going on.
I am supposed to list 5 things you may not know about me.

Here goes!
1. I am a red-head, married to a red-head, with a red-headed son. My maternal grandmaother was a red head. One of my father's uncles was a red head. I have 3 red headed first cousins.

2. I could eat a jar of marshmallow creme with a spoon in no time.

3. Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout is the best beer I have yet tasted. Mmmmm.....

4. I am utterly ungraceful, but took ballet for 3 years when I was a little girl

5. I enjoy doing math problems

Know that is not much, but it's a start!

I'll post again later today with the FOB!

FOB #6 When do you Procrastinate?

1. Anytime I have a deadline. For example, I was up Sunday night making the batter for muffins to take to LB's playschool Christmas party (the batter really needs to sit overnight before baking), then had to get Hubby to take LB to school in the morning and find out what was the latest that I could bring in the muffins. I just made it with about 10 minutes to spare.

2. Housecleaning. This is where I am the worst. I know there are others out there who are much worse than me - I've roomed with them - but I do have a problem with this.

3. Putting stuff back where it belongs. Be this the mail, a kitchen appliance I'm using, or just my towel, wherever I am is usually easier to put it than where it should go.

4. Calling my friends and family. This sounds like something I would want to do, and I do, but I just keep waiting for "the right time" and that time never comes. I haven't called my cousin Abby in months. And her birthday was in November.
What a slacker.

5. Paying bills. I go through phases with this one. Some months, I pay it as soon as it comes in, others will sit there until their due date.

6. Finishing projects. I have a couple of skirts and pairs of pants that just need hemming to be finished. I have a few knitting projects that just need ends woven.

Procrastination is a true problem in my family. I inherited the trait both from nature and nuture. My fam is quite bad about that stuff.

FOB #7: What knitterly items would you most like to receive this holiday?

Now, this doesn't mean you expect to get them. I know that I won't be receiving anything on my list, but it sure is nice to list out items that I would like. Maybe, just maybe, a family member will read this and come through for me on my birthday next year. (Who am I kidding?)
And maybe you can send your own family and friends towards your blog to give them some good present hints!

So - indulge yourself! Maybe your lists will make me see things that I would like too!

1. "Hands on Spinning" by Lee Raven
2. Some more excellent sock yarn from Brooke
3. Some cobweb weight lace yarn
4. Sock It To Me sock sizing chart
5. Ann Budd's "The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns"
6. Ann Budd's "The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns"
(I've checked both of these books out multiple times from my library wen making items for others. They have been very useful.)
7. Women's Knit Fashions Vol. 1 - I just love these older patterns!

There are others, of course, but these are the ones that came to my head first off.
I look forward to seeing what others are coveting!

And Parisa - I've been trying to comment on your blog for at least a week but it won't let me! Blogger won't let me switch over to the new version yet, I think that may be the problem.
Please don't think I'm not reading!

FOB #8 My Knitting Pattern Would-Like-To-Make List

1. Rogue - This would require me buying the pattern, which is why I haven't done it yet.
2. Anouk - If the baby is a girl, this will be on the needles before too long
3. Nautie - I just can't resist these for some reason
4. Hush-Hush - I'd never wear it much at all, but would love to make it
5. A vintage lace glove pattern - not found the right one yet
6. A challenging lace shawl pattern - May just make this one up myself
7. Bayerische socks - I just love that cable pattern!
8. Two-Color Arch-Shaped Stockings - The arch entices me so!

There are many other items on my list of items I would like to make at some point. Many of them are things that I wouldn't really wear or use much, but just want to make, to learn the process of making the item - like an Aran sweater. Others are items I would like to make but just keep putting off becuase I don't really need them, but would like them - like a vintage tea cozy pattern for my teapot that Little Boo broke and I now get to replace.

So many patterns, so little time and money!

FOB #9 The Number 9
Below are my own personal thoughts and loves of the number 9

1. Three is the best number in the world. Nine is three threes. You just can't get any better than that. It's like the Narnia inside Narnia in "The Last Battle".
2. I am the third of four children
3. I was born on a ninth
4. My brother was born on a ninth
5. My son was born on a ninth
6. John Lennon was born on a ninth
7. When doing your nine times tables, here's a trick that will work with 9 times 1-10:
Hold out all ten fingers. fold down the finger of the number you are multiplying by nine, and the answer appears on your hands. For example, 9 x 4: Hold out your fingers. Fold down the fourth finger (left hand's index finger). That leaves you with three fingers before the fold down and six fingers after. 36.
So cool.
8. I was born at 4:14 am. 4+1+4=9
9. Nine, in my way of thinking, is just so wonderfully circular and stable. It's sort of infinite in my view. It's just a superb number.

Those are just some of the reasons that I love the number 9.

FOB #10 Instructions for Life

1. Moderation in all things
2. The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
3. You can't always do things to please others, make sure you please yourself too
4. Keep emotionally clingy people at arms length. These people are constantly in crisis mode and will take all to positive energy you give them, without sending any back your way. (I've worked hard on this one in this past year.)
5. Stand up for yourself
6. Sometimes, the best way to let your child be an independant individual is to let him make mistakes, as much as it hurts you to see it happen.
7. Remember the embarrassing mistakes you made as a kid? You were a KID. Get over it. (I'm still working very hard on this one)
8. Many times, things you remember as being incredibly bad and embarrassing, others don't remember at all until you mention it to them.
9. "Let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me."
10. One little step is how every journey begins. Inertia will help with the rest.

I know I will be thinking of this more throughout the day. There are so many words that can help out for so many different situations. Some of these have come from the fact that I have been putting my family's old home videos onto dvd for a Christmas present for my folks. It's been trying watching my earlier years and how I interacted with my family and friends. It's brought up some very uncomfortable, unhappy memories. Nothing truly bad, just made me remember that I was brought up to be my dad's little boy, instead of the girl I was. It made the preteen years difficult. But I know those awkward years are difficult for everyone.

Anyhoo, there's my bit of therapy for the day.
I really look forward to reading what the others write for today's FOB!

FOB #11: Favorite Holiday Movies

1. Mystery Science Theater 3000 episode of "Jack Frost" - This is truly one of my favorites. It's a Russo-Finnish production. I love the clothing, the landscape, and Mike, Crow and Servo's witty remarks. I would like the movie even if they weren't making fun of it.

2. Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes episode of "The Blue Carbuncle" - Christmas in Victorian England. Just plain charming. And a mystery. Even better.

3. A Christmas Story - This has got to be on just about everyone's list. You just can't beat it.

4. A Charlie Brown Christmas

5. Used to, they would play "The Sound of Music" just before Christmas. I always looked forward to that.

6. The same thing used to occur with "The Wizard of Oz". I grew up associating both of these with Christmas because of that. Of course, this was before everyone had VCRs and movie rental places everywhere.

7. On one of my family's cruises that I attended, the boat showed a 70s movie version of Dickens' Christmas Carol that was a hoot. It was a musical, and in the scene where Scrooge is looking forward at people taking his stuff, everyone ends up in the street dancing and singing joyously. Someone is dancing on his coffin too. They played it over and over on Christmas day. It was quite funny. People did some weird stuff in the 70s.

8. "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" - Boris Karloff did an excellent job narrating this one. I also have an audio copy of him reading "The Hunting of the Snark". Little Boo loves it.

9. MST3K's episode of Santa Claus and the Martians. Martians want some of the Christmas action too.

10. Now I must haed over to my Old Time Radio Holiday Favs. We have a radio production of "Miracle on 34th Street". THe was done about the time the movie was out.

11. My very favorite Christmas media item is an old radio version of "The Blue Carbuncle". Sir John Gielgud is Holmes and Sir Ralph Richardson plays Watson. This year, since we must remain home for Christmas due to the baby, We will be roasting a goose for dinner and then listening to this one afterwards. A Christmas goose plays a very important part in this mystery.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Here is a link to the collection with this. Amazon lists it as an audiobook, but it is not. It was dramatized for radio decades ago. Radio dramatizations are way different from audiobooks.

I have many pictures to post of completed projects and of some wonderful items I ordered from White Willow. I've been putting all of the comptuer stuff on back burner lately as we try to get ready for Christmas and the baby. I hope to find some time this weekend for showing some knitting content!

Later Edit: After checking out White Willow Market's entries, I was reminded of two other movies that I just love for the holidays - "The Bells of Saint Mary's" and "The Bishop's Wife" (The Cary Grant one).
How could I have forgotten them?!?!?!?

FOB #12 Annually Broken Holiday Resolutions

1. I won't get upset that my family chooses to cruise rather than be with their children and grandchildren over Christmas.
2. I won't be sad over the fact they they aren't a part of the actual holiday.
3. I will do my best to keep Hubby's present a secret from him until he opens it.
4. I will easily go to sleep Christmas Eve. I'm an adult now, I need to get over it.
5. I will not spend Christmas Eve with my husband looking for presents for his family. (Actually, this one might not be broken this year. Might not.)
6. I will be organized and have Christmas cards sent out before too late.
7. I will not stress out over all of the little things and then take it out on those around me.
8. I will not be bitter during my family's Christmas, which may occur as late as the middle of January. (They only live 1 1/2 hours away) -Actually, this will be happening this coming Sunday this year. Much closer to actual Christmas, but still, they stress me out and I get all crazy and bitter usually.
9. I will not overdo my baby sister's present. I've always spoiled her, continue to do so, and complain about how spoiled she is. (She's 27) It is SO easy to buy things I know she will like.
10. I will try to not feel uncomfortable during picture taking moments
11. I will not wake up super early, anxiously awaiting the time when everyone can open up the presents I have found for them.
12. I will not get upset that most nativity scenes are full of very Anglo-looking characters.

There we go! I could add a new one for just this year that says I will have everything ready for the baby before Christmas Eve. We have all we need, we just don't have it put in the right places and cleaned up yet. Maybe we will be able to accomplish that this weekend.
I hope so.

FOB #13

Things I believe through no real reasoning

1. Whichever line I choose will be the longest one.
2. I've never seen a platypus in person, only pictures. The same applies to dragons.
3. There are other aspects of our world/universe/existence that we know very little about
4. LB has some sort of sixth sense.
5. Referees at Duke games are all biased
6. I could make just about anything I want to
7. I could play any instrument I wanted to decently, if not proficiently or passionately
8. I lived in Japan in another life. My current mom and sister were there and were deeply affected by a tsunami that we experienced in those lives.
9. My friend Hillari was an acquaintance in that life too.
10. This new baby is already a black belt
11. The underdog is usually the good guy
12. When in doubt, rip it out.
13. Each year, I will get Christmas cards out easily and ahead of time.

FOB #14: These are a few of my craftiest things

1. Preparation time and clean-up time for crafts generally take longer than the actual craft itself.

2. If you try to short-cut the prep time, you'll rue it later

3. When sewing garments, go ahead and wash the fabric the way you will be washing the end product.

4. Don't sew garments for people that don't live nearby and can't try it on during the making.

5. DON'T do small work in low lighting.

6. Look up from your work at the end of a row, seam, or whatever. Give your eyes a break.

7. I completely enjoy projects with a challenge.

8. It is often all about the process for me.

9. Acetone is good for getting superglue off of skin

10. One great thing about knitting/crocheting is that you can always rip it out and make it into something else.

11. If you have cut the crotch seam wrong in sewing a pair of pants, your chances of being SOL are quite high.

12. Remember to make something for yourself every now and then too.

13. Use quality products in your crafting. Nothing sucks more than to have made something, then never wear it because the fabric/yarn feels terrible. If it's worth your time, it's worth your money.

14. A slight repeat of the above one: If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right.

I decided to take my own picture of the blanket and washcloths that were made for the baby by many different, talented, and thoughtful yarn-loving hands.
I just love it all!

I missed out posting yesterday due to being out of town for Spamalot. I will make up for that now.
Yesterday's FOB topic was "The Wonder Moments"

Here are 15 of mine:

1. The Christmas morning that I received National Geographic's "The Adventures of Archaeology" big ol' coffee table book. I think that was in 4th grade. I was entranced. It was not something I had specifically asked for, but Santa knew just exactly what I wanted anyway. I went on to get my degree in socio-cultural anthropolgy with a minor in folklore. (Even though I had started out in college wanting to be a french teacher. I just completely loved my anthropology, classical archaeology, and folklore classes. I enjoyed homework most of the time.)

2. Rock climbing with a fellow camp counselor, Brandon. He was good, and very safety conscious. I was scared at some points, but once I reached the top it was incredible!

3. Sitting one night in high school with my friend Laura in her old convertable fiat spider, eating some Bojangles and listening to my folks' Johnny Mathis album "Heavenly" that I had put onto tape. I was drinking Cherry soda. It was just a nice night.

4. My best friend from growing up, Holly and I trying to prick our fingers so that we could become blood brothers like Grizzly Adams and his friend did. (Although they slit their hands. We weren't into it that much.) We never succeeded in getting any blood out.

5. WHen Hubby asked me to marry him. Fabulous restaurant. (Since burned down, unfortunately) Excellent food. Incredible wine. We knew the waiter, he knew what I would like and what would best compliment it. Then, at the end of the night, the couple at the table beside us left about half of their Dom Perrignon in the bottle. Mark, our friend/waiter, shared the rest of it with us. Unfortunately, I now know what GOOD champagne is like. One day we will have some again.

6. A short day hike in Switzerland. Heavens that place is gorgeous!

7. Waking up in the mornings just as dawn was starting when I was a camp counselor. Our cabins were quite open air, and it was great just listening and watching everything wake up.

8. The time I put Baby Ann's head on the stove. She was my baby doll, not a real child. I just like remembering my logic for doing that. I think it helps me in dealing with LB now. I like remembering a lot of that kid logic. It helps in life in general sometimes. (There's a great "This American Life" episode about children's logic. Click here, then search for "kid logic" it will be the first one to come up. I couldn't link directly to it.)

9. The time one of my fourth grade students told me that she never liked social studies until having me as her teacher. She said I made it really interesting and fun.

10. Spending the night with my friend Lindsley at a house she was sitting, along with it's dogs, and her teaching me to crochet.

11. Finishing and trying on the regency style walking dress and undergarment that I made for it. I used reproduction fabric from the time period that was woven on an old mill. I had just gone through a big Jane Austin reading binge. I love that dress.

12. The Hubby reading from the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicles" for me. It is interesting, but puts me to sleep in no time.

13. The evenings during LB's colicky months when Hubby would come home from work, change clothes, put "Danke Schoen" by Wayne Newton on repeat and take LB away from me.
It made me feel like I wouldn't need leave LB outside for the wolves that night.

14. My recent surprise baby shower. I truly was not expecting it, and have never had a surprise event like that before. It was incredible seeing how many people did things for it.

15. One of my UNC professors telling me that he liked my style of writing. Every other professor hated it completely.

That was an extremely hard list for me. I'm sure after a few days I'll think of memories I should have put in instead.

I must add my comments on Spamalot.
As one who enjoys watching the Flying Circus episodes more than watching the MP movies, I was a bit disappointed. I should have expected it, seeing as how it was made for Broadway.
My parents saw it earlier in the week and just loved it. I should have taken that as a sign, because they don't enjoy Monty Python normally.
It was very... well, Broadway.
I would say it was majority Broadway and minority Monty Python.
I have been watching Monty Python episodes and listening to skits for over 20 years now. I've seen the movies. Spamalot wasn't bad. It just wasn't as Pythonish as I would have liked.

Our dinner beforehand at 300 East was excellent. I had the Fall Salad which consisted of mixed greens, port-soaked cherries, goat cheese, pine nuts, chicken (not usually a big fan of that in my salads, but it was nicely done), and some other things that I can't remember now with a wonderfully light and flavorful dressing.
I also tasted Hubby's Guinness.
Mmmmmm.......
Stouts.

Okay, this will be the first time I have written a list of names I think I might like for this baby. This is just a quick thinking through. I know there will be some that don't get put in, and some that I put in that may not really be serious, but ones I wish I could name my child.

FOB #16. Baby names

Boys
1. Scott
2. Hugh
3. Angus
4. Ross
5. Ewen
6. Magnus
7. Calvin
8. Fred & George if it happens to be two
Girls
9. Agatha
10. Clara
11. Smithie
12. Rose
13. Susan
14. Carol (kind of Christmasy, huh?)
15. Sarah (I know this one has already been taken by a friend, but it is a good name!)
16. Julia

Middle names are being quite hard this time too. Don't know what to do about it all.
I must be off to go see Spamalot. My folks purchased us tickets for it!
We go, they babysit.
How nice.

Last night, I was tricked into a baby shower at my LYS. I had been told by Neighbor Knitter that it was a Christmas party for those that come to the knitting time. Apparently, She and Miz Knotty orchestrated this whole thing, even going to the extent of emailing everyone that I had emailed with pictures of LB and the ultrasounds of the baby. (How sneaky!)
They sent out yarn to those who could knit and/or crochet and received squares back, which they then seamed together into a blanket. Other ladies that come to the knitting time at the store made squares. Cathy, Linda, Shelby, Toya, Sarah and Cindy all made squares for it.
There were also a few extra squares so I now have some most excellent baby washcloths to go along with it!
Neighbor Knitter has pics.
They received squares from people they have never met, but have big importance to me in my life. People like Lindsley, Darcie, Duke, and Andrea.
When they told me some of the squares came from these women, I was stunned.
And very touched.
I have definitely not been expecting a shower for this second one. I was very surprised.
Women friends are great. I think they are one of the things that I could not do without.

And speaking of things one cannot do without, I give you

Neighbor Knitter's FOB #17: Possessions you would not like to live without

1. Old radio shows - detectives, mysteries, and especially the scifis

2. Old movies about rich people - most of these end up having been made in the thirties. The women were just plain glamorous, the men oh so debonair.

3. Baby Ann - I received her as a kid, put her plastic head of plastic hair on the stove and turned it on to see what would happen (black hard mess that I had to cut out), and she still stays around even after such abuse

4. Beatles albums

5. My Ultra Lounge cds

6. The old record player that was a school discard

7. My first boxed set of the Chronicles of Narnia. Read these in elementary school and many times over and over ever since. (I have a newer boxed set that I used to let my students use in the classroom.)

8. Right now, I must say the one pair of maternity pants that actually stay on, don't ride up or down, and stretch along with me. They were bought during my pregnancy with LB, and the brand doesn't make them anymore.

9. Also maternity related: Maternity underwear from Mimi Maternity. It is SO worth the money. The best maternity underwear out there.

10. My $50 yard sale Necchi sewing machine that Lindsley encouraged me to buy. It's from the 1950s, metal parts, closes up to look like a small chest of drawers. Stitches like a dream. Straight stitch and zig-zag. You really don't need any more than that in a machine.

11. Cable internet. Every penny is worth it.

12. A few small boxes of special things collected over the years. Some costume jewelry that belonged my great aunt and some that belonged to each of my grandmothers, coins from other countries, sticks, stones, a feather etc. All the kinds of items that mesmerized me as a child.

13. The cut glass crystals from my grandmother's kitchen that I mentioned in yesterday's list

14. My books. I've had to live my married years with them packed up until we moved into this house last year. It's such a wonderful feeling to have them around me and there when I want to read passages again.

15. pencils and pens. black ink only please.

16. My cookbooks. even when I don't plan on cooking, I still love to read them

17. And, I must agree with Neighbor Knitter and have the Harry Potter books in this list. JK! Please finish the last book now! I must know what happens! (Then my Gollum voice rises up and says "NO! once I've read it, it will all be over! I must keep my theories of Snape's innocence and the Weasley family safety - except for Percy - alive! Book 7 is my Precious. Reading it would be like throwing it into the fires!)

After writing this, I realize there may be a difference between things I would not like to live without, and items that I would try to save were we forced to grab something and go due to fire or some apocalyptic event.

One bind off row left on the babyjacket!

My rendition of Neighbor Knitter's #18. What's in Your Kitchen?

1. A cassette audio book of "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone"
2. An old portable stereo radio/tape/cd player in which I am playing the above tapes. (I think, at the time this was purchased, about 15 years ago, people called them "boomboxes".)
3. A newer, smaller radio/cd/tape player (4-5 years old). The older one no longer plays cds, the newer one no longer plays tapes due to some tinkering by a certain 3 year old.
4. LB's playschool's holiday schedule
5. A Grundig Yachtboy shortwave radio (We enjoy listening to other countries' broascasts. Voice of Iran has been interesting in the past few years. Also Radio Havana, Cuba. I enjoy Radio Japan most of all. There is something there at night and early mornings from so many countries. Really interesting.)
6. The book "Passport to World Band Radio 2004" (We really need to purchase the newest edition.)
7. A homemade peppermint foot scrub that one of my husband's clients has given us. She has other good body things too she gives us every now and then. She's a massage therapist.
8. 3 Fuyu persimmons (when you think they have gone bad, they are good.)
9. A Motto Calendar (12th listing down on the page) from an Amish group. (Hubby's mother used to give these out as Christmas cards. They are full of great quotations. Many seem to be quite a bit liberal in their political view.)
10. A string of cut glass crystals that used to hang in the window of my paternal grandmother's kitchen. Now it hangs in a window in my kitchen. When the sun shines in, it sends little rainbows everywhere. She, by the way, turns 100 years old this December 16th.
11. A wooden frog toy that you pull the string and his legs and arms flop. (My best friend from college gave this to me some years ago and it has moved into every kitchen of mine since. The greens and blues in it are just to my liking.)
12. some permanent markers that were put out of LB's reach and need to be put somewhere else.
13. A map of Greensboro, NC
14. A 7 inch tall Tyrannasuarue Rex
15. An 18 inch long Diplodocus
16. A small Simple Human trash can full of kitchen scraps that MUST go out to compost today.
17. Some Oxford gargoyle magnets that Hubby brought back from Oxford for me when he studied there for a summer. This was before we started dating, back when we were just friends in college.
18. Framed, signed photograph of Wayne Newton. (We're not Wayniacs or anything like that. It's just that "Danke Schoen" saved our sanity during LB's colicky months.)

There you have it!
I should be able to finish the Baby surprise jasket either tonight or tomorrow night. I look forward to seeing it completed!

Here are the pictures of my finished Christmas presents! The stocking ornaments each have the initials of my sister's family on the other side.
Here is Little Boo in the Elvis wig that I made for my brother. I plan on posting a picture of my brother in it when I give it to him. LB thinks he looks like Victor Quartermaine from W&G's "The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" with this wig.

Trying to meet up with Neighbor Knitter's Challenge, I give you:

19 movies/shows I like
(This is just a very small listing)

1. Monty Python's Flying Circus
2. MST3K's "Jack Frost"
3. Orlando (Gorgeous movie)
4. The Third Man tv show starring Michael Rennie
5. The Day the Earth Stood Still (The message is still applicable today!)
6. H.R. Pufnstuf
7. Brigadoon (Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse...wonderful!)
8. Pirates of Penzance (Kevin Kline as the Pirate King was one of my first childhood crushes)
9. The Crawling Eye
10. My Man Godfrey
11. The Thin Man
12. One Way Passage
(notice a William Powell connection in those last three?)
13. Grand Hotel
14. Dinner at Eight
(excellent actors, good stories in both 13 &14)
15. Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes
16. David Suchet's Hercule Poirot
17. Double Indemnity
18. Dreams (visually stunning. meaningful stories.)
19. After Life (What one memory would you choose to save from your life?)

Man, there are tons more that I didn't even get into. There are many other foriegn films I just love. Also some great silents. And I left out some cheesy 80s movies. More British tv. More comedy - "Strange Brew", anyone? More childhood favorites.

Maybe I should have chosen something else to number. Thankfully, each day there will be smaller lists. I should have been cleaning this whole time while LB is in playschool.

So - I have finished the stocking ornaments and the Elvis wig. All of my planned Christmas knitting is now complete.
I have taken pictures.
But - on our trip last weekend to Fayetteville, I left my favorite maternity jacket which had the cord that connects my camera to my computer in it.
Pooters.
And when we went this past weekend to Granny's farm, a place where I just love to take pictures, I forgot the camera.
Pooters again.
At some point I will just suck it up and buy another card reader (I have misplaced my former one). Maybe that will be today or tomorrow.

I have begun working on a Surprise Baby Jacket for the baby. I have also started a pair of mittens for a friend. (She would like ones like those in a Laura Ingalls Wilder book where the girl gets red mittens for Christmas. If any of you know which book that is I would appreciate it. As much as I read as a little girl, I never read those books.)

And speaking of books, I finished reading Da Chen's "Colors of the Mountain" a few weeks ago. It was excellent. I highly recommend it. Also, due to wakeful, pregnant nights, I just finished Agatha Christie's "Elephants Can Remember". I just love Poirot. (I also love the name Agatha. Always have. Ever since I saw The Electric Grandmother. My poor children. Little Boo is lucky he escaped the name Angus - though it is on the possibles list once again for this next one. Along with Agatha.)

Until I can put up some pictures of my completed works, please go to Yoga Beans for a good laugh. Be sure to click on some of the Previous Poses in the right hand sideber.
It's a good break from holiday stress.