Everybody sing together "Let the sunshine in!"

So I'm watching "Hair" on Sunday (thus the title of this entry), sulking because the sun that the weather man had promised was nowhere to be found. Seeking solace in Treat Williams' nakedness was good enough for me in that moment. Then I got depressed because the commentary made by the end of this movie is so relevant with regard to our current Iraq situation - BUT I refuse to get into politics in my blog sooooo...The hippies start singing "let the Sunshine in..." and you'll never believe what happened. The sun started to shine! Yes, it was short lived and the fog returned two hours later but the sun shone its little face just long enough for me to rejoice. Spirit works in mysterious ways.

So, you ask, what have you been up to you lazy slacker since you haven't posted since last Wednesday? Well, knitting goddesses, lots of things. Shall we begin? Let's shall :)

First things first - I'm counting down to my 35th -ick- birthday which is Halloween. I must admit that I dislike Halloween because it always stole my birthday thunder when I was a kid but there's not much I can do about that can I. However, this year, I get an extra special prezzie: My Mommy, Daddy and Grandma are all coming to visit! I haven't spent my actual birthday with my family since I was in high school. I can't wait. DH and DSSS are asking me what I want. So many choices, so little time. I want a ball winder, a swift, some cashmere, Lorna's Laces Angel, to learn how to spin, a knitting chair, to quit my job and be independently wealthy so that I can stay home and knit all day - do you think they can handle all of that? My fear of telling DH what I REALLY want is that he'll see how expensive all this knittng stuff is. I may just plead the fifth and let them figure something out. I'm really not picky. I'd be happy with a buttercream icing cake and a fork :)

What else, you ask? Why I cast on for my mother's houndstooth bag Sunday night also known as the colorwork project from hell. It's two stranded colorwork (black and off-white) that will eventually be felted. I'm doing okay but not great. I screwed up one of the pattern repeats and will have to frog back three rows (I somehow added a stitch which threw the entire pattern off). It also takes a while to get used to what tension to use so that it won't pucker too badly when its felted. I'll post pictures once I pick up the stitches for the body of the bag. Then, you'll actually get to see more of the pattern. I'm going to have to order more of the Cascade off-white (its number 8010 in case you ever need a white that felts) from the boys at Threadbear so that I can finish this project. No one seems to have it in stock around here :( The good thing about placing an order with them is that I may throw in some Diakeito that I've been dying to try. The yarn maven at the LYS told me that its much softer and yummier than Noro. I can't wait to try it (yeah, I know I'm on a yarn diet but I'm going to knit holiday gifts with it - OKAY!

But please tell us more, you ask. I'd love to but I need to get some tuition paying work done. Consider this part one of the misadventures of the Muse. Tune in for part two when our heroine expounds the virtues of living in Southwestern VA, explains how Belvedere and Courvoisier (you gotta say it like the "Ladies Man") can get you through the invasion of the MIL, more fall foliage photos and why everyone needs a little "runner" in their life. Until then, knit like there's no tomorrow...