And the Knitter Goes to...

I seem to be in a numerical, organized kind of blogging mood lately. Probably because I am as far from numerical and organized in my knitting as Nicole Ritchie is from eating a Hardee's hamburger. Or is that Paris? The thin blonde rich one in the stupid commercial, you know who I mean.

I've hit a knitting wall. I'm four presents from a finished Christmas gift list (a bit like being a few sandwiches shy of a picnic, I think) but I. Can't. Seem. To. Cast-On. I have the yarn for all four projects. What do I lack? Needles for one and patterns for the other three. Which is a reasonable and valid problem. Except... um- do I or do I not WORK IN A YARN STORE?

There is no excuse for me. I alternate between staring at the pattern for Code: Orange and staring at the yarn for the other three gifts (these are all basically the same gift, but, to my mind, requiring a different pattern for each) and then just not doing anything about it.
I've got to shake this slump. So I'm going to... blog! Yes, that's an efficient decision!

This blog goes out to a few people I know- lovely people, who make my life a little lighter, a little easier, and, sometimes, a little yarnier.
I present you, The Nominations:

1. One to The Hubba because when I say "What would be some knitting/Dave Matthews blog names" he doesn't snort and roll his eyes, he helps compile a list:
Purl Street (His)
I Knit It (Mine)
Frogs Marching (His)
The Stitch Between (Mine)
Knitting Billies or Tripping Knitters (Group Effort)

2. One to Miz Knotty for starting every phone call as though we were in mid-conversation. In literature it's called "in media res" and in Miz Knotty's world it's called "I was just looking at my yarn and..." There's never a wasted breath or even acknowledgement that time has passed since we last spoke and I can settle right in for a good natter without any of the dull "how are you" preamble.

3. One to Knitty Yoda who ends every phone call with "Bye Emily" (yes, turns out Neighbor is not my real name. Who knew?) and I end it with "Bye Ann" (don't worry Knitty Yoda IS her real name; Ann's just her nom de guerre*). There's something awfully nineteen fifties about it. We'll get to a stopping point and- usually while laughing- she'll say "Bye Emily" and I'll say "Bye Ann." Then we'll each take our casseroles out of the oven and call in Opie and the Beav for dinner.

4. Kelly's (no blog, sad to say) fella actually checked to make certain he and she were signing up for the same cell phone service as mine, the theory being if Kelly and I didn't have the same cell phone services all calls must be cut short and that was inconceivable. A nom to David for being such a thoughtful guy and a nom to Kelly for telling the story.

5. Finally, a nom to all my bloggy friends who are a blast to read and so talented and clever and talented and Irish and overall talented and hilarious. Keeping us informed about actual knitting so I don't have to. Knit, that is.

Well... I've burned nearly a half hour. Now I'm off to... make The Hubba's lunch and then... drink some more hot tea... and then... consider knitting! but probably just stare at the pattern in horror instead! What progress.

*If you check "nom de guerre" you'll find it means "an assumed name under which a person engages in combat or some other activity or enterprise." EXACTLY what I was saying about Knitty Yoda.