Alive and Kicking!

If anyone still needed it, here is further proof that I am horrible at blogging.  I haven't been here in almost a year!  A YEAR!!!  I have huge periods of time where I don't post anything.  I'd like to say that will change, but probably not.  I will continue to blame real life (work and knitting deadlines mostly) for my absence. 

It's been a good year for the most part, but some of it has been pretty hard.  I had some health issues during the last quarter of 2010.  My husband and I had to put my little boy, Prince to sleep at the end of April.  Saying that it was like losing a part of me doesn't do his passing justice.  I still expect him to come ambling out of the bedroom at any minute.  Our house was too quiet, so we got a new puppy in July. 

This is Flash the week we got him.  He's twice that big now.  He's another Cocker Spaniel.    

If you have any doubt at all, please know that he is spoiled rotten.  No surprises there.  How could we not spoil such a cute littly boy?!

I've been knitting a lot.  Mainly baby blankets.  I also knit some bookmarks that I need to find the pictures for so I can put them on my computer and post them.  I just finished what I decided to enter into the SC State Fair. 

The pattern is Madli's Shawl from Knitted Lace of Estonia.  Great pattern, easy to memorize!  I did 9 more repeats of the body than the pattern called for.  While I was doing those extra repeats I thought I was only doing 3 extra because I thought the pattern said 37 repeats.  Nope!  The pattern called for 31.  Needless to say it's quite long.  It's as long as a full-sized bed, a cedar chest and a little to spare. 

I've also gotten involved in a Knitting Group!  We're trying to have a knit night every month until the end of the year and then maybe it will be more often in 2012.  We had our first one this past Tuesday and it was so much fun!!!  So, if you're in the Columbia/Lexington, SC area and knit or want to learn to knit, please let me know and I'll get you the information for it.