Long Overdue

To put it simply, I've been busy.  Work has been the biggest consumer of my time, and keeping up with the family is filling in the remaining hours that I'm awake.  The HUGE 2-year project that I've been working on is coming to its climax.  The official 'Go Live' weekend is this weekend.  To be honest, though, there are 3 'Go Live' weekends for my team.  Our first was two weekends ago.  That was absolutely grueling.  This weekend is #2 and then #3 comes on the weekend of October 23.  Having survived the first one, this one coming up doesn't really scare me.  The other teams will be the ones dealing with most of the anxiety and issues.  I'm concidering it more of a 'making an appearance' weekend.   For my team, the next big milestone will be the first time we process the company's timecards and then try to bill our customers.   Until then, I'm not going to be around much.

I also have a couple long overdue pictures to post.  This is the baby blanket I made earlier this year for a friend.   I gave it away without photoing it.  Colleen gave me these to share.  Enjoy!



Thank You Delynne!!!!

The Thank You Monkey Socks are done.   I didn't get them finished as quickly as I had hoped.  Too much interference from work.  But they are now done and on their way to Delynne.  I hope she enjoys them and knows how much I appreciate the sacrefices she made.  Even though Dean is her brother, her selflessness isn't diminished. 

The yarn was Footnotes from Fiber Optic.  It was fantastic to work with.  The color in the above photo is a little washed out.  The brown is a rich, woody brown.  This was my first pair of Monkey socks.  I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly the pattern works up.  I think I'll make a couple more pairs of socks for my girls as Christmas presents.

I have another project in the works.  It is a tag-team effort with my friend Cindy.  She and I have another friend who just found out she has breast cancer.  Cindy and I are making a wrap for her.  It will lightweight so that it can be carried along to treatments.  This yarn is a laceweight merino/silk blend which should help take the chill off if needed.  Cindy found the pattern, but I can't remember the name.  It is a simple knit one, knit one below on an odd number of stitches.  When it is blocked it will have a matrix of hexagons throughout.  I have custody this weekend.  Cindy is travelling next week so she will get it to work on during her long flights to/from the west coast.

Gotta Get My Monkey On

Since my last post 3 WEEKS AGO, I have finished the first Thank You Monkey sock and got to the gusset of sock #2.  I really, really, really want to get these done this weekend, but not sure how to do that.  You see, Ed is out of town until Tuesday evening, Kristin has a volleyball match today, I have a very dusty house that needs my attention, and I have to work all day tomorrow.   Maybe the dust can wait.  Heck, it's been here longer than the sock.  It can hang around a little longer.

My friend with leukemia is doing well.  He is still showing no sign of disease.  His strength is slowly returning.  The doctor has given him the OK to drive if he feels up to it.  That has been a HUGE relief for his wife.  Since she doesn't have to escort him to his daily outpatient treatments, she has 3-5 hours of each day back. 

On a sad note, one of my friends from work found out she has breast cancer.  Her lumpectomy is next week.  Another friend and I are going to make her a shawl to carry around with her.  Seeing how cold Dean always was in the hospital, I thought something like that would be useful for our friend.  Since the second friend and I share a cubicle, we are going to tag-team.  We'll leave the shawl on the counter between us and whenever we have a couple minutes for a break, we'll pick it up and work it.

As I mentioned above, Ed is away.  He and his brother are in Penticton, British Columbia for Ironman Canada.  The race it tomorrow.  Physically he is ready.  As usual, he is getting nervous and anxious for the race to start.  I worry most about the swim portion of the race.  Once I know he is safely out of the water, my anxiety level drops significantly.

Monkey Business

Not getting as much time as I had hoped to work on the Monkey socks, but I'm coming to the home stretch of the first one.  Here's my progress as of last night.

I am finding this pattern very fun to knit.  I understand now why it is so popular.

I'm working these on size 3 needles, which is one up from the size suggested in the pattern.  I was worried they be too big, but I slipped them on and they felt wonderful.  The recipient wears US size 9 shoes and I wear size 7, so I'm sure they won't be too loose on her.

Did I mention who the recipient is?  It is the lady who saved my friend's life by donating her bone marrow stem cells.  DeLynne is Dean's sister and she was doing what any sibling would do for another member of the family.  But that fact does not diminish the risks she took.  Without her Dean's chances were bleak.  Now, her blood has taken over his body and he is slowing gaining strength. 

Now, it is a beautiful Saturday and I'm not going to waste any more time on this blog.  Enjoy your day!!!