mo-o-THER!! one of your hands is ORANGE and the other is GREEN! (whisper yelled)

I've found it! I've finally, finally found it! The perfect explanation to use when we're questioned for doing something the rest of the world finds odd and we find just being fibery people!

We were at my daughter's high school-to-be at the pre-tryout cheer meeting. Holy crapamoly those high school cheerleaders are freaking INTENSE. You know what's even MORE intense than them? The cheer coaches & teachers. I was signing us in on the sheet when I heard this "*gasp* OH...My...What?" from the head coach. Lizzie whisper yelled "mo-o-THER!! One of your hands is ORANGE and the other is GREEN!!" I looked at the coach and said, "Oh. Well, I'm an artist." The coach's eyes got big, smiled at us and said "OH, how exciting!" I replied, "Yes. Yes, it is." It was awesome.

(And, yes, that is in fact three empty 1.5 gallon tubs of vinegar in the background. I was dyin' my arse off last week. There's nothing better than the smell of vinegar & wool, baby.)

How many times have you tried to explain your yarn at the office on the desk, in every tote bag and purse you own, your orange & purple fingers (or maybe that part is just me)? The more you try to explain the amazingness of the fiber world, the more people's eyes glaze over and they start backing slowly away from you in a non-threatening manner.

Go on, use it. It works in almost every occasion. Try it. "Oh, I'm an artist." That's all you have to say. It's funny that an "artist" gets instant approval while Crazy Yarn Girls/Boys just get strange looks and lots of gossip in the elevator.



Oh, and for the record? My hands were not "orange" and "green". They were crumbling brick red-orange and pouting peacock teal.

Unemployed!

I suddenly found myself reorganized right out of a job. SO, as anyone that had her priorities straight and finds herself suddenly unemployed, we're making cuts and scrimping and saving. Goodbye fancy Arbonne facial system, hello Oil of Olay. Goodbye shopping at the LYS, hello stash! (thank GOD for a sweet stash) Goodbye big F150 King Ranch Truck, hello rebuilt sad little dented and rebuilt trucklett (from my wreck last year). *sigh*

Hello ski trip. what? Yup. We're going the cheap route, (packing sandwiches, bringing our cooler full of food & drinks, staying free on the husband's points at hotels) but still living large and heading to Colorado with all 4 kids, the hubster and a van full of yarn. YAY! We're only skiing two days, but I figure that should be more than enough as none of the kids have skiied other than hitting the local mini ski place in MO once. I'm looking forward to the 10 hour drive each way. Another YAY! I'm taking ORANGE YARN and lots of it. 10 skeins of noro cash iroha in a fabulous bright and sunshiney ORANGE! I'm taking a few patterns and my knitpicks set of circs and we'll see what that yarn wants to grow up to be. Another AMEN for a sweet stash full of yarn.

The surprise of unemployment is actually a good thing, but it's stressful. We'll get through and I plan to ramp the heck out of the dying & spinning business when I return from the slopes. And as always, I'm knitting on....

Edited to add...I think I'll start the Snow White pattern from Ysolda. It's going to be called "Evil Stepmother" though as I'll be stuck in a van with FOUR CHILDREN (two of them step) and with the history of the overprotectiveness I exude as a mother and the throw-them-off-the-cliff-then-see-what-happens parenting plan of Outdoorsman, I'm going out on a limb and thinking there may potential for a little, um, venting of the frustrations. Just a hunch, but it's probably a good bet.

When life gives you lemons....

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. Well, what do you do if life gives you shit? NO, you don't make shit-n-ade. When life gives you shit, you SIT AND KNIT! and knit. and knit. and knit.

Life is very, very good. But there's a LOT of extra stress going on. Thank God for family, friends (here in person and on the innernets) and thank GOD for knitting. It's helped me through so many tough times in my life. I can't tell you how much knitting has been done in hospitals (our family is accident prone AND having a son with CF - cystic fibrosis- means lots and lots of time spent sitting, waiting and worrying.)



It'll all work out for the best, I have no doubt. I've just got to make it through the next couple of weeks and not lose my freaking mind. :) No problem, right?

My project of choice right now is good old garter stitch. Knit, knit, knit, knit, knit. It's soothing, comforting and MAN do I love garter stitch projects. They're squooshy, have good texture and make lovely projects. My project? Another square of my Itty Bitty Sockyarn Bits Blanket (free pattern link on ravelry). For a non-ravelry free download, click HERE