#1 Son and I are back from our annual trek to Las Vegas for the holidays, and a fun time was had by all. I’ll post later about the trip, which featured a tour of Death Valley on an unbelievably gorgeous day. But this is a picture I took just before we left. I had put my carry-on bag up on the bed to pack it, turned around to gather up a few things I wanted to take, and when I turned back this was what I found.

Do you think that Moo Cow wanted to go along with us? She wasn’t too happy when I removed her from the top of the bag so I could pack. And which bag is your’s ma’am? That would be the one with cat hair all over it.

That’s a standard-sized carry-on bag that she is taking up most of the side of. Moo is, shall we say… big boned and “fluffy.”

And lest anyone think I did nothing but gamble, drink, take tours, go to shows, and otherwise goof off (all of which I did), here’s some proof that knitting was also accomplished. This is the Lorna’s Laces sock I started awhile back in the color called “Gold Hill” - a fitting color for Las Vegas, I thought. As you can see, I have progressed a lot! I made it around both of the heels and started up the ankle.

If the heels look a little strange, it’s because I used the same ribbed faux cable pattern that is on the instep. I’m rather pleased with the way that it’s coming out. Once the socks are blocked, it will look a lot better. The colors pooled a little bit over the gusset increases, but on the whole they are behaving themselves admirably.

The soscks are a little big on me, but I plan to wear them anyway. A lot. They’re not so big as to be uncomfortable; just a little looser than I usually prefer.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Happy day after Boxing Day to everyone! Hope your holidays are full of fun and joy.

The PI household had a great Christmas, culminating with dinner at Grandma’s and Grandpa’s house. Did I say that Grandma is a great cook? Yum! That was the best berry pie I’ve ever had.

There will probably be a dearth of blogging for the next several days as I take care of some family business. But I hope there won’t be a dearth of knitting!

I’ve progressed a bit on the current socks, and I’m just starting the gusset increases. These might be done by the end of the year.

All other projects have gone nowhere and have absolutely no hope of being finished objects in 2005. Ah well. The new year is coming!

OK. Not really. But I must have been wound up tighter and more concerned about #1 Son than I was letting on, even to myself. Right after he arrived home yesterday morning, I was overcome by sleepiness and couldn’t even keep my eyes open. So I went back to bed. And slept until noon. I can’t remember the last time I did that, but I know it’s been years. Despite that, I went to bed fairly early last night. Vacation is a good thing!

#1 Son wasn’t home for very long before he was off to see his friends and to go to work. He came in very late last night. I probably won’t see much of him. Good thing we have a little enforced togetherness coming up next week to give us a chance to catch up.

Not much knitting yesterday, but I have made some progress on the socks since the pic I snapped a couple of days ago. I do have hope these might be finished by the end of the year, if I don’t get distracted. I’m just about ready to begin the gusset increases. I think I’ll make these “clog socks” and work the twisty faux cable pattern on the heels, too.

Tomorrow we will go over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house (that’s my former in-laws) for Christmas dinner. We didn’t have big plans for Christmas day, so the invitation to come for dinner was a pleasant surprise. It should be fun. (My ex will not be there.) Or at least tasty. Grandma is an excellent cook!

I’m going to make some risotto to bring for #1 Son. Grandma is having ham, and risotto should go well with that should others want to share. I still have to decide what to put in it. (Yes, yes, I hear you out there. I mean besides rice.) I’m thinking veggie stock as a base, or maybe tomato soup… and onion, mushrooms, bell peppers, beans… should be good.

Today I’m feeling much more like a “real person,” and that’s a good thing because I have a bunch of running around to do!

#1 Son came through the door at 6:30 am, said hello, asked me what day it was, and went to bed. I gather it was a pretty successful tour.

I’m just glad to have him back.

It’s almost the end of the year, that time when one feels retrospective. Later I’ll write about what I finished this year. But here’s a look at what’s still on the needles — the great UFOs of 2005. (Note, these are UFO’s that I’m “actively” working on; not the ones that languish unloved and ignored.)

As always, click the pics for the bigger version in a pop-up.

This pair of socks represents all of the various socks on needles scattered throughout the house. I tend to start socks, and then get distracted. But this pair I’d really like to finish.

This is Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in a color called “Gold Hill.” I’m working them on a pair of Inox Gray circs in US#2. I’m making the pattern up as I go along.

It’s hard to see in this picture, but the pattern across the instep is basically a 2×2 rib, but every other k2 has a faux cable worked every 4 rows. I think it looks kinda cool in a twisty sort of way.

The socks are my current “traveling” project.

This is the start of the green shirt-styled sweater that has been kicking around in my head for awhile. I’m knitting it of Donegal Tweed on US#10-1/2 needles.

Currently I’m working on the body of the sweater. I decided that I wanted my “shirt” to have ruffles down the front. The twisty stitches on the left are supposed to resemble small ruffles. I think it’s fairly successful.

I alternate working on this sweater with working on the PNW Shawl. It’s one of my “at home” projects.

And speaking of the Pacific Northwest Shawl, this is where I’m at right now. I have completed all of the seagulls, and started on the pine trees, which you can just see the tops of at the bottom of the pic. The yarn is a lace-weight wool. The needles are Inox gray — I love the pointiness of these needles for lace, and the smooth joins help, too.

You can also see the lifeline that I’ve thoughtfully put in, after ending up having to tink out 1/2 of the seagulls because I totally screwed up the pattern. It was a lot of stitches to tink.

I like lifelines.

I work on the PNW shawl at home, and only when I’m feeling fairly well rested. For me this is definitely not a mindless knit.

And, finally, this is Clapotis # 2. The yarn is Silky Tweed in color #13 (Cool Blue).

Every now and then I take this project as a “traveling project,” but I haven’t really gotten that far with it considering how long it’s been hanging around. I’ve finished the increase section and I’m on the straight section. I’ve dropped 3 stitches.

I have a long, long way to go.

Perhaps I should make a New Year’s resolution to finish these projects before starting something else.

Yeah… we all know how well that resolution will be kept!

In other news, I finally got around to smooshing a bit of lubrication on the garage door opener’s screw. The garage door actually opens now, without sticking or binding. Go figure.

#1 Son will be home tomorrow. I’ve really missed him! I can’t wait to have him back.