The MIL sweater and nifty sh*t

Last night as I was lolling in the bathtub, Pepper trotted in, dragging the camera cable with immense pride, bragging, "Look what I killed, Mom! I killed a snake." Ben instantly pounced, proclaiming, "I'm killing it too!" So I lurched out of the tub, and pink, wet and naked, pursued kitties through the house till I had rescued the cable. Oh, ghu, it was not a pretty sight! The cable was fine, but I am over fifty and over weight and gravity has not been kind . . . Hmm too much information there. Be that as it may, DH who, as a war vet has seen worse, merely raised his eyebrows at me, took custody of the cable when I had rescued it, and went back to his book as I went back to my bath. And today, I can post new pictures! The Mother-in-law's chocolate sweater is all done. V-neck, nifty square brassy buttons, vertical ribs to visually elongate. I just hope it fits.
(The picture in the background is of one-time mayor of Portland, Bud Clark. The caption is, "Expose yourself to Art." I loved Bud! He never took it too seriously.)

I have been hitting sales. Joann's had a row of dollar bins, and I got all sorts of trinkets for Christmas pressies and stocking stuffers. And then I stopped at Office Max and found these nifty-coolio vinyl binder pages with pockets. There's an 8 1/2 X 11 pocket that would hold a pattern. And a 4 X 11 pocket that would hold knitting needles. And a little 2 X 3 pocket for stitch markers, thread cutter, whatever else is needful. What a marvelous traveling knitter's accesory! Since school has started, they are half-price now. I got three of them in blue, pink and green for $1.20 Squeee! Sort out the different projects by color. (Socks in the blue one, scarf in the pink, . . .) Slide the pockets into your tote or backpack or laptop case, and you are good to go! Isn't that a nifty bit of sh*t?

Why am I thinking about traveling knitting? Well, did I mention that DH and I are taking a Carribbean cruise in December? (All you thieves and vandals, don't get your hopes up. We have a house-sitter.) Already I am planning my wardrobe. I take pride in traveling light, so am doing the mental mix and match and making lists to cover the possibilities. Except, ...well,... I am SUCH a sucker for dressy, dressy clothes. Gotta pack two formals. Yes, I know no one will notice if I wear the same thing twice. I'm fifty eight for crysakes, and no one but DH will even see me. (Middle-aged women become invisible.) But if I have two opportunities to dress to the hilt, I do not intend to waste one of them. I'll wear the same shoes, but that's as far as I'm willing to go. It may even be the same two formals I wore on the last cruise, but I don't care. They make me feel pretty! Pretty! Pretty! HMM - I want more opportunities to wear formals. Wonder if I can talk DH into romantic dress-up dinners at home?