happy solstice!

God jul, as my ancestors would say!The tree is up, cookies are baked, most of the shopping and wrapping is done, and it's officially winter break. Hurray! There's even a Yule party on my agenda for tonight. I still have at least two knitting projects to finish for Christmas, though, so it's not exactly smooth sailing, but close enough.

------------------------------------

With Paul's extended family we do a drawing for a holiday gift exchange. I managed to draw the name of a dear family friend who is a doctor and owns a villa in Italy. What do you buy a man who owns an Italian villa? I ended up putting together an odyssey of syrahs from around the world. Sigh...

The other challenge was a gift for a good friend who gave me a car last winter. Yes, she gave me her old Jeep. How do you possibly reciprocate? I ended up knitting her a hat. Small peanuts, but at least it took time, thought, and effort.

Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret, by Natalie Larson

Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Pagoda, .75 skein
Needles: US 9 and 10.5

Notes:
Super cute! I enjoyed knitting this, especially with the soft and cushy Malabrigo. It was looking a bit small and not so slouchy when I finished knitting. Then I blocked it on a dinner plate, and the plate may have been a bit too large. Time will tell if it fits properly -- I can always wash and re-block, I suppose. Great free pattern -- definitely give it a try.

------------------------------------

I found this at a used bookstore last week:
Fabulous illustrations by Edward Gorey may make this one of the best books ever.
I've determined that Kylie is a Gumbie Cat:

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her coat is of the tabby kind, with tiger stripes and leopard spots.
All day she sits upon the stair or on the steps or on the mat;
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!

But when the day's hustle and bustle is done,
Then the Gumbie Cat's work is but hardly begun.
And when all the family's in bed and asleep,
She tucks up her skirts to the basement to creep.
She is deeply concerned with the ways of the mice
Their behaviour's not good and their manners not nice;
So when she has got them lined up on the matting,
She teaches them music, crocheting and tatting.

I have a Gumbie Cat in mind, her name is Jennyanydots;
Her equal would be hard to find, she likes the warm and sunny spots.
All day she sits beside the hearth or on the bed or on my hat:
She sits and sits and sits and sits--and that's what makes a Gumbie Cat!