Six in one hand, half a dozen in the other

Praises be, I was allowed to wake up this morning. I've been particularly mindful of counting my blessings daily because I have so much to be thankful for and I know that so many people around the world are suffering. The neighborhood is so peaceful in the morning, save the whir of a few cars. The dew gives everything a crystalline shimmer. Deer meander through my backyard, eagles soar overhead and the fig tree is laden with ripe fruit. Best of all, I'm entertained daily by a chorus of crickets and birds singing and a light wind whispering through the trees. Nature is truly quite amazing.

Right as I was headed home from dropping the boys off at school, my mom called which usually means something's up. Her news today - my lil bro's reserve unit (he's a medic) is being sent to Kosovo. I'm a Navy brat and know that orders can come at the most inopportune times. This is one of those times. My bro has been working so hard to get his life together. He's been training to be a Howard County firefighter for the last several months and is two weeks from graduation. That's where the six and half dozen analogy come in because in all honesty, being a firefighter is just as dangerous as being in the military. I've been a nervous wreck since he told me about applying to be a firefighter. And now he's going to end up out of the country and away from his little boy for a year or maybe more. And I hate that he's going to do intake with soldiers who have been hurt in the line of duty. He saw some of that at Walter Reed and now he's going to be even closer to the front lines. I think that while his job won't be very dangerous, it will be emotionally draining. But then again he's really good at it which is why they're sending him. Military brat or not, I just think this royally sucks ass.


Me and my bro at the National Air and Space Museum last Fall

So if you believe in prayer, please send one up for my brother and nephew and for the many others who are fighting for freedom around the world. I just pray that its worth putting their precious lives on the line.

Okay, time to lift my head and heart up since there's no reason to sulk. There was much knitting whilst the foosball games were on this weekend. The Things gave momma a much needed break on Saturday by leaving me all by my lonesome. To celebrate, I popped in Riverdance (with the original, Mr. "love those great legs and butt" Flatley) and knit away on none other than little Ms. Rogue. The rhythmn of Celtic music and dance put me in just the right mood to whiz through those cables on the first sleeve. Now let me recap for those who haven't journeyed with me through knitting Rogue. I zipped through this knit last fall and then stalled when I had to work on my holiday knits. I picked her up in late Winter, attempted to knit both sleeves at the same time while on a road trip, royally screwed them up and gave up knitting on it for a while. Then Spring hit, it was too hot to wear her even if I'd finished it so I chucked her in a bag and let her languish in the closet. Now she's back on the needles and I'm almost officially finished with sleeve number one.



Tattoo, bring me another pina colada because I'm relaxin' on sleeve island baby! Unless Mr. Roark bitch slaps me with one of his life altering island experiences, I hope to finish this over the weekend at NOSO Knit. I'd love to wear her when the weather gets cooler (which is sooner than later). I'm so close I can feel it.

And I'm loving all of the fun facecloth patterns that are out there. A little cotton goes a long way. I even made a little Japanese tewashi dish scrubbie (I know its not a facecloth but it was something I wanted to try). I see more of these in my future too. Here are few of the other's I've whipped out.



I didn't have the IK pattern for the flower facecloth so I winged it with pretty good results. It would obviously look better in the recommended chenille. I think I might have some in the stash. Hmmm. The tewashi is the cute multicolored swirly blob in the corner. Oh and the delightful little balls of fluff? None other than fuzzy fur yarn from Tar-zay (AKA Target). One dollar for 65 yds of yarn! Who woulda thunk it?

Finally, I forgot that we're supposed to bring a knitted charity item for NOSO Knit so I'm frantically working on a Mitered U Baby Sweater.



I'm not nuts about the colors but I needed to use acrylic and this Red Heart Camoflage was in my stash. I'm probably going to buy some more and knit some camo hats and gloves for my bro.

Tune in on Friday when I share the story of the attack of the killer house centipede. It's a bug epic. Have a happy hump day!