Great. Just Great.

The good news is that I got a job. It’s not the one I posted about a few days ago, but it’s still a job. I’ll be cleaning a local convenience store two days a week, and I start in the morning. It won’t be much money, but every little bit counts. Especially when you’re a shopaholic like myself.

Now for the bad news: I’m sick. Earlier this evening I noticed that my neck and shoulders were aching a little bit. I figured it was from standing over the stove all afternoon making my special spaghetti sauce, but now my entire body aches, I’ve got chills, and a fever. Yep, that’s just what I needed. I hope I’m better or at least the same when I wake up in the morning. I’ll go to work no matter how bad I feel, but it sure will suck. But hey, maybe I’ll get lucky and Hot Store Guy will be the one opening in the morning. I’m sure he could make my day a little brighter…

That didn’t go so well

Actually, it didn’t really go at all. I got up this morning, got Gracie off to school, came home and got ready for my interview. I spent a very long time getting ready, which is quite unusual for me. About an hour before I needed to leave, I called to confirm my appointment. Interview guy said, “Why don’t we just wait until Monday. Call me back Monday morning.”

I was very disappointed. I had a feeling something like that would happen. Now I’ve got a feeling that he’s just going to keep putting me off until I leave him alone, and my feelings are usually right.

After the first big letdown of the day, I decided I needed to do something constructive with all the extra time that I now had. I could’ve worked on Gracie’s beret, but the seemingly endless stockinette in the round would’ve had me bored to tears. I could’ve worked on my February square for the c’ville swap, but to tell you the truth, I really didn’t want to sit still.

I ended up baking. I made a dozen muffins – half of them blackberry and half chocolate chip (I didn’t have enough of either of the add-ins for a full dozen). But I didn’t stop there. I was flipping through my bread book, and the recipe for sourdough bread caught my eye. It’s been a long time since I’ve had any good sourdough bread, so I went online and started researching sourdough starter. I found a few different methods, and I decided to try this one. If I don’t manage to get it to work, I’ll keep trying other methods until I find one that does.

I found a soft pretzel recipe on the same site as the sourdough starter instructions. I’ve been wanting a good soft pretzel since I had a bite of one the day I took Gracie to Lake Winnie (she dropped it on the ground right after I handed it to her), and it looked easy enough, so I tried it. It was easy to begin with. It just got a little tedious when I was shaping the pretzels. It took a lot longer than I expected it to, and I guess I’d spent too much time in the kitchen by then. They turned out okay, though. They probably would’ve been much better if I’d had some honey mustard to dip them in, and if someone else had made them.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I may have found a temporary office job. I have to go talk to someone about it tomorrow, and I’ll know for sure then. I hope it get it! I really need some extra cash, and this would be just perfect.

Princesses

My girls are your typical girly-girls. They play princesses every day. They dress up in their costumes and dance and sing and have tea parties. They can do this for hours, unless they end up arguing over which one of them is Cinderella (which happens all the time).

This evening, they danced for the longest time. One minute they were dancing, and the next minute I looked up and saw this:

How sweet is that?

Sockapaloooza!

I actually managed to make it to the Sockapaloooza sign-ups on time! I discovered this knitalong during the first round, and I had meant to sign up for round 2, but managed to miss it. Actually, I owe it all to Jess. If she hadn’t posted about it, I would’ve missed it for sure!

I Hate Kate

After putting it off for more time than I should’ve, I finally finished Kate. It was a great pattern, and I may make it again, but I just didn’t like my finished product. The fabric is too loose, and there are ladders galore. I thought I’d gotten past ladders long ago. I think that if I’d went down at least one needle size, and used a set of 5, it would’ve been much better. I just didn’t have any on hand, and I hadn’t been anywhere to get any. All we have around here is Wal-Mart, and I have to drive at least 35 miles to get to any craft store.

click for bigger
Pattern: Knitty’s Kate
Needles: US 8
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver
Start Date: 12/31
End Date: 01/16

I dream of Fair Isle

Seriously. Last night I dreamed that I was Crafty a grey sweater. After I finished it, I realized that I had meant to do a fair isle pattern, but forgot about it. So, instead of ripping out and starting all over, I was trying to duplicate stitch the pattern on. I have weird dreams like that all the time.

I actually made some progress on the scarf tonight. I did 5 pattern repeats, and it now measures 22″ long. If I can keep it up, I may actually get it done by the end of the month.

The ankle socks (which are for Gracie) are coming along quite nicely. I could’ve finished the first one today, but I chose to work on the scarf instead. After these are done, I’m going to knit a pair for myself. I’ve never actually knit a pair of socks for myself. I crocheted a pair a while back, but they didn’t fit right, and I’ve only worn them a couple of times.

I’ve also been bitten by the Crafty for baby bug. My sister is pregnant with her first (due in July), and I’ve got all kinds of things in mind for her. I bought The Baby Knits Book a while back, and I finally got it today. I got it for the Alphabet Blanket pattern, but there are a couple of other things I’d like to make too. I also see many baby socks in my future. I have plenty of leftover sock yarn, and besides, this is the year of the sock!