Staying close to home because.....

OK--I can handle snow, but ICE is getting old. Luckily we did not get the stuff my friends in Oklahoma got and it all melted. School was cancelled for the kids Tuesday because we were supposed to get 2 inches of ice. Luckily it warmed up and turned into a full day of rain. However, it did freeze in spots, so we stayed home (except for hubby who went to work). My in laws have been electricity deprived for several days now. They got their hands on a generator so they now have heat and some lights. A wood burning fireplace would be a great thing to have....

Here are the contents of the box I received MUCH earlier from Donna--lace maker extraordinaire! It has taken a while to figure out how to get my pictures posted--sorry!

You have to click on her name and be mesmerized at her knitting skills! The coffee is to die for and everything else is over the top wonderful! Thanks Donna!!

NOTE TO SELF: Stay the heck out of the small electrical kitchen gadget department!!!

After going through a box from the garage, I have come to the conclusion that I have a compulsion for electrical kitchen gadgets...I'd forgotten that I bought and really needed (at the time) the electric waffle cone iron (WHY?!) and the electric pizzelle maker (OK, that one I will use) and 2 waffle makers, a foreman style grill....Is there a self help group for me?! I officially have more little plug in appliances than I will ever have plugs to accommodate them in the whole upstairs....uggg.........

However, I did get the box unpacked and made a couple good decisions about some things that I'd been holding on to because I didn't want to offend the people that bought them for me...I am really going to work at getting decluttered this year--and next..

Another great thing about staying inside when it is rear freezing cold is that I am almost finished with a sock. I am soooooo happy I took the sock class at Twist that Jackie and Lia taught. I came out of it with a firm understanding of turning the heel and doing a gusset. I know turning a heel is supposed to be one of the coolest things about making socks, but I love doing the gusset. It amazes me to see it all blend! I am completely addicted to this simple sock pattern I am working on. The original pattern called for 2-3" of K1P1 ribbing and then 7" of stockinette. I did about 5" of stockinette and wasn't feeling the love for it so I frogged it and did 7" of K2 P2 ribbing. Good stuff. I did go up a needle size since I tend to knit tight, but next time I will do a pair in the needle size suggested and see what a difference it makes. I completely love the project bag I got at Michael's craft store. I was really surprised to see them and just bought one to try it out. I am in love! It is perfect for toting a SIP (sock in progress) and yarn! LOVE !!! I'll post a picture tomorrow of it and the progress on the sock.

I found a really cool spinning wheel on Ebay and won the bid this weekend. It is a pretty modern looking wheel and it is coming from the Netherlands, so I will have to wait a little before I get it, but I am psyched. The seller said there used to be several wheel manufacturers in that area in the 70's and 80's, Louet was one and the only one that survived. I'll keep you posted. Cute man (hubby) is going to work his magic on my Ashford traditional and get it back in working order since there is nobody who apparently works on wheels in this area. There used to be one in Oklahoma City, but no longer...figures. I will no longer be loaning my wheel out to any high school for a prop in a play....lesson learned.