Pay it forward.

I had a lovely afternoon today with my girlfriends - just a ladies lunch at a friends house. There was soup, really lovely antipasto pasta, chocolate cake, fudge and chocolate covered ice cream balls, wine, tea and some knitting. One friend is a crocheter and she made some lovely cushions- no photos as I forgot my camera - so you'll have to take my word for it.

Knitting - I am almost finished with the three little wee jumpers and will finish them this week, wash them on the weekend and mail them next week. It is way to boring to show you a picture of them again, but that is all I am working on. I've been keeping busy with other stuff too - like cleaning out my house so my friends who are going to look after my dogs while I am overseas won't get the shock of their lives when they open the door to the back room.

But this post is about a lovely little project I am partaking in with Nettie - Pay it forward. Maybe you have already heard of it or taken part in something similar already, but if you haven't maybe you would like to sign up with me.

It works like this. The first three people to sign up with me will recieve an Rhonda-made something (?) within the next 12 months. And then you pay it forward to three someones who sign up to pay it forward to someone else. What a lovely concept - how can I resist. I will love thinking up something wild and wonderful to make for someone. I love the idea of making something for someone 'just because'. And I love the idea of sending a present to a new friend for no reason other than they said they will do the same. Cool.

You know, if everyone who plays this just gets three people to play in the next twelve months I reckon 1,594,323 people will get a handmade gift in the mail. How happy will that make the world? (that's 3 to the power of 12!)

If you want to continue the game just leave a comment. I'm with Nettie tho - it will be a little embarrasing if no one reads my blog and therefore no one signs up but, well, at least I tried, hey?

Babies everywhere but not in my arms.

I'm doing heaps of baby knitting at the mo. I haven't met these babies but I am knitting away for them anyway. I've modified designs of little sweaters for some of them - two the same in different colours for sisters and one for their brother (they all have exactly the same birthday!).
And one - brightly lit - for another who lives far away. I love the colours but not so much the increases and decreases. They are much more forgiving in wool - and I think I may be doing them wrong. I'll see how it looks once it has been sewn up and washed, hey? And cute buttons may make a difference too.

But my knitting is not bringing me as much pleasure lately, as it usually does. Usually I can bliss out knitting for a couple of hours with music, tea, a movie, a book on dvd. But for some reason (well, I know the reason), I have had an extremely short attention span and low tolerance levels. And, of course, I am reading a 500 page book, knitting two pattern jumpers exactly the same, performing a very routine schedule at work - I'm not sure why I do this to myself. I went to see a silly movie this afternoon and almost left half way thru - I never do or feel like that.

I'll fix a bit of this by going home to Seattle in a few weeks, I hope. At least I can be a bit proactive over there, instead of just worrying. And I will get to see and hug and talk to and laugh with my beautiful son for four weeks too. Maybe I may even get to do a little bit of yarn shopping. And there is that bakery near my folks!

And I will get to look after my lovely, very sick father for a bit of time - and my saint of a mother. I will feel better when I can do all that!

4th of July - yes we have one too!

Every year, on this day when I talk to my folks, my Dad asks if we have a 4th of July in Australia. Every year I say 'no, Dad, it's America's Independence day' and he laughs and says 'well, what comes between the 3rd and the 5th?' It's not funny the second time, but the 30th time... well, we both just crack up every year. I love our little silly traditions.

When I was a kid 4th of July was huge. Dad had the day off work so we would usually go to a Rainiers Baseball game if there was a day game. Then a picnic at Green Lake followed by fireworks (oooh. aahh!) Then home for ice cream and bed. There was mom's fried chicken which was unbelievable, potato salad and jello in red and blue with white cream. Honesty who wouldn't love a holiday like that. What a family! What a country!

Now, I don't miss 4th of July, just my family. I miss them a lot, especially this year.

But in sentimental tradition I went to Aldi and bought some Al's Ribs (the name is just so American - plus my older brother's name), cooked them up and watched the replay of the Mariners Game on my computer. Not Quite the same thing - but the ribs were good.

Can you notice that my silverware has little balls of wool on the end of them? Well, they look like balls of wool to me!

There has been knitting. I have been comissioned to do some knitting for some small people. I am knitting with 4ply from Bendigo. It's nice to knit with but a bit splitty. I would like it to be plyed a little tighter.

Lot's of moss stitch.

I really like knitting for little people - it's so nice to see something come together quickly.

And look at this little present from a friend. I'm not sure why I would want to type in the dark but now I do want to. I like gadgety things.

So, happy 4th Dad, Mom, Son1, Bros, Nephews, SIL, Carl, Bruce, Soo, Marj, Gary, Barb, Betty, Connie, Carol, Aunt Nornie, Aunt Nea, Sonia, and all the rest of my family. I love you all very much and I miss you heaps!!

HI Mags!!