A Gross Old Year

12 x 12 = 144. One hundred forty four is a gross. Remember your basic math. Knitter's use math all of the time. Sometimes, a pretty complex formula must be executed to make a pattern all that it is supposed to be. Think Algebra here. (x+y-z)3 is the same thing as the knitting direction of: (sl1,k1,PSSO) repeat 3x. You can do that. You little math genius!

Last year I made a secret challenge for 2008. I never like to make resolutions. I have failed at so many. The annual weight loss one for sure! Anyways, I decided to try to blog 3 x a week, for 4 weeks, 12 entries per month, for 12 months. A perfect gross. For a gross 2008. I claim the title for 2008 due to many factors. Economics the lead reason. Mathematically, this year sucked.

If you do the math and look at the column to our right- you will see that some months I exceeded my quota, while other months, I fell short. The good news is that the total adds up. I made it. It was a plan destined to succeed. The expectations were not unrealistic.

I have read some bloggers that vow to blog daily. I cannot do that. It would become more of a chore, than a true communication. As it stands now, I speak when I have something to say. To that end, I have decided to challenge myself again, realistically. Next year may not bring all that we are hoping for, but I am praying for a numerical upswing. Let's see if Obama can Owow us.

I want to see the numbers trend positively. Jobs up, foreclosures down. Health care up, infant mortality down. Confidence up, depression down. Can 2009 be FINE? I hope and pray it will be. Let us all put the past behind us. Let us vow to improve the future, starting with the choices we make every day. Happy New Year with love...

Christmas Dinner at The Wenskay Casa

Here we are on Christmas evening enjoying dinner. Thank you Brian for the special centerpiece.
We had Prime rib roast from Tip Top Meat. The best we ever had. The poppers provided the festive head wear. Aren't we swank. A good time was had by all. Jerry Abels is our official Santa look-a-like.

Returns R Us

Today is the day I will brave the stores- post Christmas. I have to return some things at Target. The wrong size toilet seat, maternity pants I tried for Ryan. Ryan has low tone in his tummy area and can not wear pants without elastic. Hard to find in menswear. I thought that maternity pants might work. I still think it is a possibility. I just got the wrong size. I will try again.

Then, Brynn got a generous gift certificate for Nordstroms. We will hit the Rack. More bang for the buck. After strenuous shopping we will meet friends for sushi at the Loveboat Sushi in San Marcos. The best. Bar none. Please try them. You will be glad you did.

Laundry, cleaning and decoration removal will all have to wait for a few days. Brynn returns to Monterey on Friday. So, we want to continue the holiday until then. Maybe we will karaoke tomorrow?

Best Gift Ever

That is a gift card for a "new" car. Specifically, an El Camino vintage auto.
That is a happy 16 year old.

Welcome Arabella

We did not have the pleasure of the Hunter/Vianalos Family for Christmas dinner this year due to Alexanandra's advanced stage of pregnancy. She was unable to travel down from LA. She was here for Thanksgiving and the car ride was miserable. She is a tiny little lady and the baby within needed to claim it's space in the world without.

Happy to report that Paul and Al received their little pink bundle yesterday afternoon. It seems that their family is not as "techy" as mine. When our grand nephew was born we had phone photos within 30 minutes of birth. I have heard from Aunt Christine that Arabella is beautiful. I can't wait to see her myself.

Fearless Knitter Request

The Encinitas Starbucks location was snarly with me, but- the Solana Beach location was friendly and generous. The sweet little manager said come see me the 26th and your wish shall be granted. Viola'!!! I now own the Christmas decorations from the SB store. They are here in my house and will be stored lovingly for future years of North Coast Knitters Guild functions, as well as the holiday activities of the KnitWits.

Ryan went home late last night after 5 days of Xmas cheer with the family. It went very well. He really has mellowed. It was hard to get him home last night. He lives about 3 miles from Qualcomm Stadium. Last night the Chargers were beating the Denver Broncos to a pulp. So we had to wait for traffic to settle down before making the 50 mile round trip. I was able to knit last night for the first time since the party season began.

Brynn will have a sweater by the end of January. I swatched the bobble pattern and it is so pretty. She thinks this is too hard and is worried that it will be too big or stretch out. I have the guage perfect and I am making a size medium. Hopefully it will fit her the same way it is shown in the book. She loves it and I am happy she is pleased.

Fearless knitting this year. Let's all try smething that we have never done, done poorly, or just always wanted to try and never made the time for. I am looking for control and discipline in a world seemingly out of control.

This discipline needs to apply to my diet, recreation, work and job seeking. I really do not want to go to work full time. Really. It breaks my heart. I work almost full time for the church and school and Guild and charities, of my choice. Choice, control, needs and wants. Mix it all up in the bowl and it has to come out in a new form. Same ingredients, different out come.

Remember Knitwits 2006 Xmas Decor

I have been a very good girl this year. In the effort towards good stewardship, I gave up my "Venti-iced-Skinny-two pump sugar-free vanilla latte" habit. At $4 a pop, upwards of five times a week, it tabulated to $80 a month. Truly a utility payment.

I inherited a Krup's espresso machine purchased at a garage sale for $1, and got busy at home learning to be a barista par excellent. Pretty good hot, lacking pizazz when iced.

So, imagine my surprise when passing a Starbucks the decorations caught my knitter's eye. There was a nationwide chain of very popular shops full of knitting inspired decorations! Two years ago I made wreaths covered with balls of red and green yarn for our KnitWit Christmas party. Here was a better version times a million. I want them. I asked the supervisor "What do you do with the decorations after the season ends?" She replied with disgust "You and everyone else. Come back the morning after Christmas and we will take names and have a drawing." I was dismissed and dismayed. Who else has a large knitting group and annual knitting Christmas parties? Who else out there would love and take care of these items as well as me? Who, I ask?

If anyone reading this can snag me some of this knit bling, I will knit you a beautiful "fill in the blank" of your choice...