no funny business here

Yes, I am still alive....

But I am drowning! (Breathe, Laura, breathe! No locked cars involved here!)..in a sea of school work, that is.

Three projects down, four more to go. Two more weeks. I can think of a lot of choice adjectives to describe these next two weeks, but in sticking with the "G" rating, I will defer. No blogging. No knitting. Pure insanity! Even Bossy and Stinky have been relegated to backburner status. In desperation, I've taken to serving them a whole repertoire of canned barely-food items, trying to pass them off as meals while I work on assignments. Poor deprived kids are so used to their no additive/no preservative/no fun diet that they're actually relishing this nasty, canned crap. As Bossy tanked baked beans last night, he proclaimed it the best meal I'd ever cooked and kept thanking me profusely for such a wonderful dinner. Ah, compliments to the chef, Mr. Van Camp!

Tomorrow is Holiday Countdown KAL day, and woefully, I have nothing to share. I started this Knitlist Cable Sock pattern in Wool Ease for my dad over one week ago and haven't been able to work on it since. What should have been a 2-3 night knit will probably get dragged out another 2 weeks until the semester is over. I'm so sorry to be such a dead-knit, Jennifer! I'll be a better KALer soon, I promise! I was thinking that the sock looked decently masculine, but Hairy Legs has since suggested that perhaps the pattern might be a tad "fem," to use his terminology. Now I'm pretty certain that my dad is quite secure in his masculinity and virility, having produced four healthy offspring and being the big strapping guy that he is. Nonetheless, the big guy lavishes himself with Bath and Body Works lavender lotion daily, so I'm thinking a tad fem is okay. What do you think? Creme de la Femme?

And look what arrived 3 days ago from Knit Picks- Yes, that's right, three days ago and it is still in the package!! Along with Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns. Sheer travesty, I tell you! There'd better be A+'s to justify this cruel and unusual punishment. All but two of those skeins are destined to become Christmas gifts. I've been so inspired by all the great stuff you've been making that I ordered some of the same yarn. Notice the Geranium, Cranberry and Storm? My hands are itching to knit. Well, with the recent eczema, they're just plain itching, period.

And in spite of all the current madness, I'm looking forward to hosting Thanksgiving lunch for my family. Being highly foodphilic, what could be better than a Thanksgiving spread? There'll be 8 of us, and yes, it'll be hectic and crazy getting all the cooking done (can you say 19 pound turkey and gravy, cornbread and sausage stuffing, pumpkin pudding pie, smashed parmesan sour cream potatoes, cranberry conserve, streusel-topped sweet potatoes, corn on the cob and Beaujolais? BTW, I'm always entertaining new recipe ideas, so any suggestions are definitely welcome, especially if they involve whole sticks of butter!) but I'm so excited to be able to spend the holiday with everyone. Being able to celebrate, laugh and connect with the people who mean the most to me makes it more than worthwhile. Truly, I have so much to be thankful for. What I may lack in material bounty, I have been blessed with in riches and happiness above and beyond what I could have ever hoped for. A wonderful and supportive husband, healthy, beautiful children, family and friends near and dear to my heart...these are priceless gifts, and I am so grateful. And especially to all of you- all the wonderful friends I have made through blogging- you guys are the best!! For all that you do to move and inspire me everyday- be it a kind word, a funny joke or a beautiful FO- thank you!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!!