At the beach and other things

We headed to the beach today.  Specifically we went north shore to watch the surfing masters semifinals.  Unfortunately we stopped at the NEX (Navy post store) to pick up a few things, the yarn store for some cranberry for my stockings (more later), made two bathroom stops, and bought and ate shrimp from the yellow shrimp shack along the way.  By the time we got there the results were posted, the portapotties locked and the judges all gone home.  But we stopped and watched the waves.  It was no swimming day, so there were only a dozen or so people in the water.  None of them were from my family.  

This has bearing because of that part where on the way we stopped at the yarn store and I found a cranberry cotton that I liked.  Of course it was worsted weight and the rest is DK.  But 

that will just add some texture to the stockings.  The added weight of the wool will make those knitted stripes seem tighter and fuller.  I like Aloha Knits more and more.  Sigh.  Wish I had tons of money to spend there in the next few months before we leave.  But I'm buying my spouse Christmas presents and then saving for a necklace.  A very expensive necklace of shells.  

Openers

Recently it seems that I'm into online. I've just signed up for Ravelry (bluefox) and there's the etsy shop (atbluefox.etsy.com). Not to mention that the only way to get anything out here in the middle of the Pacific is to get lucky and find it somewhere (where it may or may not be in stock for a next few months) or to order it here: online. Seemed only right to start a blog too. Mostly I want to talk about my projects and some of the other insanities of my life. But I suspect I will also talk about my illness (chronic clinical depression), my children, the Navy (I'm a spouse) and anything else that comes up. I'm not really intending to hand out this blog to folks I know - at least until I get the feel of how much I want to say. How can I complain about my mother if I know she's going to be reading all about it tonight?

So, what am I about right now? Knitting mostly. Gearing up for Christmas. If you think I'm making a million things for everyone I know - you got me all wrong. I knit fairly quickly actually. But I'm not real down with deadlines, so why put myself through that? The only thing I'm trying to get done for Christmas is two stockings for my daughters. My oldest, Ariana, is three and a half. And my youngest, Emma, is just eight months old. They are the light of my life. Seriously. I'm not having any more (though I'm open to the idea of adoption someday) and these two mean everything to me. Anyway, I'm working on some striped stockings, in white and pink and red, for their Christmas this year. You can view the project at Ravelry. Of course, this is in the acquiring phase. I still need to find a red that I like. I'm hoping to talk my husband, Jason, (aka Jase/Jay) into stopping at the yarn store tomorrow on our way to the North Shore. He's having his annual "urge to watch surfing", so we're off to see if the Masters will run tomorrow at Sunset Beach, and on the way we will pass my new favorite store. Aloha Knits in Kaneohe is the best place on the island for finding knitting yarn (rather than eyelash yarn). So I'll go and see if she has something in the right cranberry color to finish out the peppermint color scheme I have in mind. And yes, these two stockings will match. My brother (Drew) and I had matching stocking as children and I always loved them. They will also be lined. There is a famous story in my family of the knitted stocking that was the first one given to me when I was born. Year one: X length. Year two: 1.5X length. Year three: 2X length. Note this means 2X presents to fill the same stocking.  After that Drew came along and we got new stockings - made of felt. So, I'm going to use some redwork fabric that I have around and make a five inch square patchwork for the inside and hangers. I might even add some lightweight batting, but I haven't decided yet. Then, of course, I'll embroider their names on them and hang them up. I think Santa will bring them on Christmas Eve when he comes. I do have one for Ari that I made for her before, but it didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. 

The funny thing about having daughters, I'm suddenly into pink and girly things. I was NOT a pink girl myself. I wore jeans and t-shirts to school every day. I didn't much understand girls and generally most of my friends were boys. I understood tag and king of the hill a whole lot better than barbies and strawberry shortcake. They were toys I didn't have anyway. I had my little ponies. They lived in their own world in my bedroom that included evil dragons, castles, and a great deal of drama. My best friend Hannah and I would play with them for hours - and no mane brushing was involved. I have lots of memories of girl type things, but they usually involve my Grandmother and some pretty wonderful stuff that she taught me in life. Anyway, now that I have daughters I find myself attracted to bows, pinks, ruffles (in moderation), and all things cute and beautiful.  So, while I would have been horrified to have a pink stocking as a kid, I'm not having any trouble envisioning them for my girls.  This is because Ari loves pink.  Purple more, but pink is good (and purple's not much of Christmas color).  She love skirts and more importantly dresses.  She is, of course, a major Princess fan.  In fact she announced a few days ago that she is now the "snow princess".  I asked what snow princesses do she told me they bring the snow.  I'm trying to help her understand that here in Hawaii, it really doesn't snow.  We live on Oahu - not one of the islands with the mountains high enough for snow.  She's never seen it.  I don't think she realizes how really cold it has to be to be snow.  Anyway, she loves all things girly too - so I can let myself go I think.  She's also into trains, blocks, legos and all kinds of art, cooking (with me and on her play stuff), gardening, vacuuming, reading, eating on her terms only, trike riding, playing with friends, swinging, baths, swimming in little pools, playing at the beach , making stitches (x-stitch style), ponies, mermaids, candles (she LOOKS), mowing the lawn with daddy, nick jr. shows, sunflowers, NOW, typing on the "puter" and many other three year old things.  She's all energy all the time.  On a temperment scale she falls well into "spirited" and does take a lot of my energy.  But she gives as she receives and keeps me very happy (as all parents know, that's most of the time).  

Ah, but I have not yet talked about my other current projects and yet now it is time to supervise the nightly splash fest that is the bedtime bath.  Perhaps I will be able to write again later or tomorrow.