Decision on Internationa Tote Exchange Bag

Okay, I'm making progress.

Yesterday I cast on 41 stitches for the bag I'm making my partner in the Spring Felted Bag exchange. I think she will love this pattern and I hope the color, although its not listed in her favorite colors. The color seems to be one I keep leaning toward this year, I've bought a couple of outfits in the color and used it in a previous knitted project. This afternoon I went to the craft store (LYS not open on Sunday) and bought a new pair of #15 bamboo needles to knit with. I had three pairs of 15's but either they are out of a material I didn't like knitting this yarn with, or to short, or to long. When I got back home I sat beside the pool but under the umbrella, and transferred the stitches from one set of needles to the other. I knitted a few rounds before dinner and tomorrow I should be able to really make progress on the bag.

I've finally decided on the pattern for Tote Exchange IV and have the yarn ordered. What a relief to have that decision made, it seem to be the hardest part of a swap. This is a pattern I've had for some time but never really looked at it before. I was looking for something that I thought would compliment my partner's personality and I think this is it, cheerful and bright. The colors I've chosen are blue, pink, orange, green and yellow. Can't wait to get started on this bag, it looks like fun.

I think I have gathered all the goodies I need for both exchanges. I've been picking up things here and there as I see something I think will help to make a nice package. I keep my ears and eyes open for yarn sales too cause I think a knitting exchange always needs some yarn in the box. I go to my stash first but for some reason I never find what I want in there. I either can't part with whats in my stash or I find something I don't feel is right for a gift. Today I did find some sock yarn in my stash that I plan to use in a swap. I bought it thinking I was going to knit socks but I still haven't talked myself into 'knitting socks'. Maybe if I ever wore a pair of hand knitted ones I would feel differently; I can't seem to get past the fact that I can buy a pair of sock for about half or less, than I'd pay for a nice skein of yarn to knit a pair with. I know that knitting the socks is for the satisfaction of having made them one's self, and because 'I do know this', one day I will knit socks. I will knit socks someday. I felt the same way about knitting face and dish cloths. I finally got around to knitting face cloths this past year and found it was fun, quick, and a good little thank-you for some of the many people that have been so wonderful to me during my cancer treatments.

Dariana was here on Saturday and we had a grand time blowing bubbles with the ones sent to her in the package from my partner in the Spring Felted Bag Swap. Thank you partner for being so thoughtful and kind. She was good at blowing the bubbles and had the patience and perseverance to blow and catch the bubbles. At two she has an amazing imagination. She plays pretend as if she was a five or six year old child rather than a toddler. Saturday she said to DH, "Sit down Papa" and of course Papa sat down while little Dariana preceded to give him a pretend manicure and hair-do. She used a pencil and pretend it was a brush and hair roller so Papa had his hair brushed and rolled and a nice manicure. We don't know where these ideas come from, they are not something we initiate, she really has a vivid imagination for a two year old. She has been having tea parties in her tree house since she was about 28 months old, making pretend toast and tea or 'pink' milk. She loves to plays 'mommie and baby' and surprises us with how much 'pretend' she comes up with. What an angel we have been given.

Time for bed. I am having sleeping problems now that I am into the radiation treatments. I've had thirteen treatments so far and seven more to go. However when I saw the Dr. last week she said they may need to tack another two or three onto the end of the twenty. It's been a year now since the Hodgkin's Disease was diagnosed, a year of Doctors, medicines, and chemo-treatments and now radiation. How happy I will be when I am through all this.