I taught Addy the beginning of my favorite Christmas song*. I can leave now, happy in the knowledge that she will continue to sing it, with gusto, every chance she gets and drive her mommy crazy by the time Christmas finally arrives. Happy Holidays, Rachel!
*The story behind the song is here.
Addy learned a new word tonight when we went to see the Colorado Eagles vs the Amarillo Gorillas ice hockey teams - and that word is "Blowout". Ten minutes into the first period, the Eagles had already scored 4 goals. 
At 6 goals - just minutes into the second period - everyone in the packed stadium got free food from Wendy's. The evening's total of 10 goals set a franchise record for most goals scored in one game. 
Needless to say, John - along with everyone in the place - was ecstatic.
Addy loved the music that played when action on the ice came to a stop. 
At first, she covered her ears whenever a goal was scored - it was LOUD with the yelling and whistling and ringing cow bells. By the end of the game, she was an old hand, yelling, dancing and clapping along with everyone else.
John got us great seats, just a few rows off the ice, right above one of the goals.
Dick and I've been to a couple of pro-hockey games in California, but nothing to match the energy and excitement of tonight's game. Can't wait to come back and do it again. 
Oh, and Addy has something new to add to her Christmas list. She wants - and I quote - "a pink cow bell from Lowe's." And you just know her daddy will find her one. 
We're having a great time in Colorado. We celebrated Addison's birthday last Saturday with a princess party at Chuck E. Cheese. 
It was Addy's first time at Chuck's and she wasn't at all sure about the noise level and the kids running everywhere. 
Now, though, she keeps asking when we're going back.
The pizza was surprisingly good, so it may not be all that long before she gets to go again. Not on a Saturday night, however.
Addy was running and jumping in these shoes 30 minutes after she first put them on. Pretty sure she got the 'shoe' gene from my mother (thank heavens it skipped me!). I see lots of high heels in Addy's future.. 
With a high of 29, these Californians were c.o.l.d. despite all the cold weather gear. 
Addy made friends with Rudy and a few other reindeer inside one of our favorite stops. 
We walked her little legs off but Addy was great - especially after we refueled her with hot chocolate and lemon pound cake. 
Tomorrow we're shopping and cooking, getting ready for turkey day with about 17 people in Rachel and John's fairly small house. Should be interesting.
I met with Lois last night and scheduled all my classes for January through the end of March (and a little beyond). The shop's official schedule should be out the first week or so of December.
Crochet Pattern a Month - 3rd Tuesday of each month, 6-9 pm
January 19 - Gumdrop hat
February 16 - Tunisian shells
March 16 - Daisy wheel scarf or purse
April 20 -Tunisian short row
May 18 - Tunisian ripple
June 15 - Spiral crochet
Crochet Pattern a Month - 3rd Saturday of each month, 12:30-3:30 pm
January 9 (2nd Saturday) - Gumdrop hat
February 20 - Noro striped scarf
March 20 - Entrelac square
April 17 - Tunisian short row
May 15 - Log cabin
June 19 - Honeycomb scarf (or square)
Other classes:
Only 35 days until Christmas?!?! Where has this year gone? It's just flown by. Hubby and I are leaving tomorrow for Colorado to celebrate Addison's third birthday on Saturday, and staying through Thanksgiving. Hope the cats - and the house - survive our leaving the two 'young adults' at home.
My latest FO - 
handspun from Bee Mice Elf BFL top 
and Tunisian crocheted into a long scarf for Wenona's birthday. 
I'm really lovin' the Tunisian.
Leia was entertaining herself - and me - singing and talking her way around the front room this morning . . . until I tried to capture it on video. The minute the camera went on, Leia beelined over, trying to climb in my lap so she could see the pictures she knew were there.
I did manage to get a little of her singing, though. This is for you, Auntie Rachel.
Taught 2 3-hour crochet classes back-to-back today and while I loved every minute, my feet hurt. Five students in my feather-and-fan scarf class - including one last minute walk-in who just happened to be in the shop when class started and wanted to join in - and six in the beginning Tunisian class. My class max is seven, so those are good sized groups.
Everyone 'got it' and seemed happy with what they learned, which made me happy. Icing on the cake was selling three more of Dick's handcrafted Tunisian crochet hooks - for a total of 9 or 10 for the week - and having Lois start carrying them in the shop.
A good day but I'm really glad to be home, cat in my lap, down for the night.
My first stab at the Tunisian short row dishcloth. 
I did some experimenting as I went, so it's not as pretty as it could be. Definitely see more of these in my future.
I'm making progress on the mystery CAL from Sarah London's site. 
Ten of the 11 graduated squares in Part 1 are done (square #1 has 2 rows; #2 has 3 rows; #10 has 11 rows, etc.) 
Part 2 came out early this morning, so I'm a little bit behind but I think I can catch up tomorrow before Part 3 arrives on Friday. I'm thinking this is going to be a Christmas tree of some sort; we'll see if I'm right in a few more days.
While I've been crocheting, Dick has been busy making wood Tunisian hooks. The only Tunisian hooks readily available are metal and only in smaller sizes like "H" and "I". Larger sizes and/or wooden hooks are almost impossible to come by.
First batch on the improvised drying rack. 
And after that? Fancy hardwoods! Can't wait to get my hands on those.
Want to do a Christmas mystery crochet-along with me? I'm seriously thinking of joining in the fun on Sarah London's site. I need to get the first set of granny squares done by Wednesday. Piece of cake . . . (The supply list is here. Green and white yarn plus crochet hook, scissors and darning needle.)
No matter what this turns out to be, I'm betting it will be gorgeous - just look at the other crochet items on her website, like this granny star garland. My favorite? The Wool Eater Blanket. I did it as a square, but you can see more blankets on Ravelry.
Poor little Princess Leia is teething. She has at least 3 teeth coming in right now, maybe more. She was pretty miserable today, but still full of smiles. Hope the teeth come through quickly - it's hard to see her hurting.
Just noticed that Addy's cabled sweater is the **200th** project I've entered on Ravelry since I joined in August 2007. Whoohoo!
Not all of them are finished but I'm working on it.
Project #201? A pair of crocheted slipper socks with leather soles, that I need to have finished by Monday morning. 
Both socks are done; just need to sew them to the soles and crochet the top trim. I'd say 'piece of cake', but I've done one of these *#&% things three times already. Maybe 'piece of pie'?
Put a big box of FO's in the mail to Colorado today, including a camo scarf for John;
princess scarf for Addy; a gumdrop hat like her mommy's; 
and the finished ladybuggie sweater, complete with ladybug buttons sitting on their own little flowers. 
Next up on the hook is this sweater that I started before our trip to Albuquerque; it got sidetracked by other projects but I'm determined to get it done and in the mail by next week. 
Finished up the back and front today; tomorrow I'll start the sleeves. Maybe Addy needs a pair of leg warmers to go with it? Hmmmmm . . . . .
Made this in about 2 hours tonight. 
Very easy pattern - very cute hat. It even looks decent on me! 
Planning to make Addy one in pink and me one in browns and greens since this one is for Rach. 
Should be nice and warm for our trip to Colorado over Thanksgiving.
I spent yesterday at the annual Torrance fiber fest, helping Lois with her booth. Although I took some spending $$ with me, I'd decided before I left that I didn't need, or want, any more fiber. It was going to be a day of talking to fiber peeps and helping them enhance their stashes.
Yeah. Right. That was before I discovered that Bee Mice Elf, my current absolute favorite purveyor of spinning fiber, was a vendor. I spotted her booth a few minutes before the doors opened to the public and it was very well-stocked. Went back an hour or so later with Ginny and Edie - and almost everything was gone. Obviously, I'm not the only person who was thrilled to see Lars in person.
Clockwise from top: Falkland - 'Bitten'; BFL - 'Secluded'; 'Bitten' again; Falkland - 'Plumage'< 
(clockwise from top) Misti Alpaca to make a woven or Tunisian shawl; Malabrigo Chunky for this hat; Jade Sapphire CASHMERE; and Nashua Sitar to make the same hat for Rach. Not bad for a day's work.
A ball of luscious, but very expensive, cashmere yarn followed me home this week. It was one of those things I just had to have.
But what to do with it? With only 200 yards to work with - no way was I buying more of this, luscious or not - I decided on a long, thin scarf. I wanted something a bit dressy, something a bit different. The final result is the Fisherman's Fan Scarf. 
Divided into 3 sections by weight - so I'd know how much yarn I used in each - section 1 is straight and skinny to keep my neck warm but not overheated. 
Sections 2 and 3 are a modified feather and fan that flow and drape beautifully.
The pattern is on Ravelry (here) or you can download a PDF file here: download now. If you make this, be sure to send me a link or a photo, so I can admire your work.
