Happy Birthday to meeeee.....

But first, thanks for the advice about Las Vegas. We did have lots of fun with my parents, taking pictures of the kitschy architecture, and we loved the two shows we went to (KA and Love, both by Cirque du Soleil). We even visited the  Grand Canyon, which was truly breathtaking.



We came back home to face a punctured tire, followed by a lost hubcap and two broken valves while installing new hubcaps, leading to replacement of all tire valves. Considering the unexpected expenses, I'm extremely glad we didn't waste any money gambling in Las Vegas.

Another problem was that the pooch went on a hunger strike as soon as we left according to my poor neighbor, who tried very hard to feed him and keep him happy. I feel really guilty, knowing how worried she was, because even if I warned her that the pooch is picky and stubborn, no one expected him to stop eating altogether. My neighbor is a very kind lady and she even cooked some chicken for him, but he would only eat it if she put it in his mouth. Can you believe that? Of course, I finished knitting the doggy sweater for her, and I hope to have an opportunity to take a picture of it later on.Meanwhile, I've been working on the spouse's socks:



But today I'm going to the beach with my parents and we'll all have dinner in a vietnamese restaurant. They'll be staying with us through Christmas and past Epiphany (does anyone celebrate that here in the US?), so I'll be quite busy. I'm very lucky to have low maintenance parents who are also willing to help out with house work. It makes me enjoy their stay even more. The best thing is my father's camera. That will improve the pictures in this blog for a while, though I won't be posting very often.

I should take the opportunity to wish a Merry Christmas to those who celebrate it, since I probably won't be posting tomorrow.

Finals are over...

...and I'm exhausted. I  managed to turn the heel of the sock.



I will now start a simple bass-relief pattern. I also finished the hem of the doggy sweater. the picots are sticking out and the edge is rolling, which tells me I did not join the hem to the correct row. But I don't dare to undo it, so I hope  my neighbor does not mind:



Next: Finish the legs! I'm going tomorrow to Las Vegas and I hope to finish before then. This is the same neighbor who'll keep the pooch while we're away. If I finish this doggy sweater on time I will not feel so bad abot making her take care of him.

By the way, what's there to do in Las Vegas? We're not gamers. We're curious about the different hotels and may want to watch a show, but after that, what? I should have asked Vaxgirl.

I should also mention that the stitches are off my pooch and he's doing great.

Finals are coming...

Does that mean it's time for a new project?



Yeah, I thought so. These are socks for the spouse. I saw Marlena knitting socks made of KnitPicks' Gloss and decided to try that yarn out myself.

Thanks for the nice wishes for the pooch. He really doesn't seem to care at all about his stitches. He might when they remove them this Monday, but so far so good.

Four Ugly Stitches

These are not knit or crochet stitches. They're the kind of stitches you can find on your doggy after the vet removes a wart. Here's  a blurry picture, in case you're curious, but skip it if you're squeamish.

Anyway, because of said removed wart, my pooch isn't modeling the mystery project, but lying next to it instead.


I am not allowed to cover his stitches at all, which means taking him out in the cold without a coat or sweater. Luckily, the weather is better now. He might hate the cold, but I don't think he minds the stitches at all. He doesn't even try to scratch or lick them.

This navy blue sweater is not for him, it is a present for my neighbor, who owns another mini poodle and has the same wardrobe issues. It's almost finished. I'm making the same picot edging I learned to make with my mittens, and I also need to make edgings for the front leg openings.