Don't be such a slouch, Louboutin!

In the dead of winter, I find myself going to great unusual lengths to brighten up the day.  While social media of the day is fine, I'm doing more lurking on Ravelry than ever before.
If you're not a knitter, I'm sure it sounds like a great big yawn.  Maybe.  But I'll tell you that when I logged on with my morning coffee today, there were thousands of "Ravelers" online at that moment, all over the world! From the northern Europe and Canada to Australia and South America, and from middle east and the far east to the mid west of the United States.  I am always amazed, and its one of the most customized websites I've ever seen.  Truly a place I like to visit all the time.  I'm in!

KNITTING
I found a group on Ravelry whose goal is to spin wool/yarn to knit socks. That really fits one of my main goals for the year, as I have knit more socks than any other item.  I'd like to be able to reproduce the sock yarn sold in the yarn shops, but have never been very successful.  I'm better at getting the plies and finished yarn fine enough, but there's definitely no spring to it.  And socks need spring, or else they're just slouchy.
And even though no one ever really sees the socks I wear, I feel better if they stay UP around my calf, at least.

Which brings me to a funny story I'm sure I've never told anyone but my husband in my adult life. When I was growing up I attended a small private school that required us to wear uniforms.  Mine was the typical plaid skirt with button up blouse, oxford shoes and dark blue socks.  Knee socks.  And let me tell you, while we had no say over style, seeing as we all wore the self-same-outfit-every-cotton-picking-day-of-our-lives, we DID have the opportunity to flex our individuality in the way our outfits looked.  Some wore wrinkled shirts (rebels), some wore pocket protectors (won't go there), some girls wore their skirts short (hussies) and girls like me spent their days pulling up their slouching socks.  Until, that is, I learned that some girls had overcome this dilemma by keeping a rubber band around their calf and turning the cuff of the sock over it.  This may sound insignificant to you, but to me, it was revolutionary.  And even though the rubber band cut off all circulation to my toes, it was worth it. And it wouldn't be the first time a female sacrificed their feet for the sake of style. Just ask Christian Louboutin.  

I started a little hat from some acrylic.  Cast on 90 stitches and used a size 6 for the ribbing and 8 for the crown. Easy knitting while dear husband made dinner last night!

SPINNING
Lovely things will be knit from this springy, bouncy yarn.  The color is cream or ecru.

I should be able to get another bobbin at least so that should make about 4 or 5 skeins. 

PERSONAL
This past week I celebrated my 49th birthday.  It just gets better and better.

My daughter and DIL made dinner and cake and hosted a little game-time for me.  I LOVE playing board games and had told my husband the day before that what I really wanted for my birthday was to light a fire in the fireplace and play some board games. I got a much needed new Starbucks drink cup and an adorable charm for my new bracelet.  My birthday dinner party was actually the night before my birthday so the evening of my actual birthday, my father in law took me and my husband out to eat, and DH and I spent the rest of the evening in front of the fireplace playing Battleship and Bingo. 

Cozy birthday fire

Husband won at Battleship, and I won Bingo!