Saturday, July 21, 2007

A Charmed Life and a contest!

Please don't think that based on the title of this post there is any Harry Potter content to be had on this blog. My use of the adjective charmed instead refers to the fact that in the last 72 hours I have won TWO contests! Both have provided me with luscious skeins of sock yarn from two lovely knitters. For giving a summer reading recommendation (Miranda July, No One Belongs Here More Than You), Laura sent me my choice of Cider Moon Glacier. I chose 'Peas and Carrots', because it reminded me of a favorite saying at dinner time from my household c. 1974, "eat every carrot and pee/pea on your plate!":
Cider Moon Glacier sock yarn in "Peas and Carrots"

For sharing a traumatic travel story (mine involved a giant pot of honey dripping on hysterical passengers on a bus in Morocco.), Becky sent me two skeins of Koigu:
koigu p116
Before you make any hilarious 'coals to Newcastle remarks', please know that they are two skeins that I actually have never seen, do not own, and adore. Read all of the entries, they are hilarious. Faith should have won in my book, but I'm not complaining!

Speaking of contests, Jen has a fabulous one on her blog and let me just say right now that I am hoping that the third time will be a charm for me, because the prize is unbelievable...greed is so unattractive, isn't it?

In other contest related news, my brother was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics!!! He wrote a song for MadTv called 'Merry Ex-mas', sung by the très gyno composite Tori McLaughlin. We are all very excited for him, despite the fact that he is threatening to permanently change his name to Emmy® Nominated Bruce McCoy™...


All of this good luck has motivated me to share the love and run a little contest of my own. My project for the Tour de France kal is the très compliqué Nancy Bush Canal du Midi socks and earlier this week, after just not being satisfied with the yarn--Mountain Colors Bearfoot--I frogged the hell out these babies. Canal du Midi--ickI restarted the project with the yarn I should've been using all along, my beloved Louet Gems. Canal du Midi-loveThe stitch definition is so much better with this, I am so happy I bit the bullet on this one. There would have been a point in my knitting life that ripping wouldn't have even been an option. Can I just say how much I hate any mohair content in sock yarn? Blech. In any case, the contest:

Tell me how you are living a charmed (not necessarily knitting) life. How have you been lucky? What recent (not necessarily knitting) decisions have you made that you are happy about?

There will be two prizes for the randomly number generated winners, one will be
two French Phildar knitting and crochet mags, the other will be a skein of Mountain Colors Bearfoot. If you're on Ravelry, I'll even let you choose it from my stash. Post your answers here on or before Thursday, and good luck!

60 comments:

Kirsten said...

That is some pretty good loot! Lucky you! Good luck with the third contest.

I consider myself to live a charmed life because I was raised by two of the nicest people in the world and had the happiest of childhoods. Now as an adult I am charmed because my children, despite being teenagers, still love to spend time with their parents. A recent decision that I am happy about was to let my son go to Spain. He is learning, making new friends and having an experience that he will remember for the rest of his life.

gradschoolknitter said...

I think that my "charmed" life has come from the fact that my parents taught me to make the decisions that were right for me. In the last two years I have lived in 3 different countries because I choose to follow the path that would be best for me academically, although not always personally. Thus the bf and I have had our ups and downs but he understands that I needed to be in Spain for a year to do research for my MA and have an experience that would get me into my #1 choice for the PhD... and the fact that my #1 choice for the PhD means I'm at least 11 hours (driving) away has been ok for us too. But right now the most recent decision that has let me have a charmed summer is that I came home to live with him. We've never had the chance before to actually live under the same roof and we both knew that it could be wonderful or total disaster... and it has been wonderful. Unfortunately it's going to make it all the more difficult to leave again in a month but if the past 3 years have taught us anything it's that we can do the long distance and still be happy.

sophanne said...

Charmed life?

I always seem to find the interesting people that I "need" to meet at a given point and the books that I "need" to read when I'm ready.

sophanne said...

Also please send much hysterical laughter from me to
Emmy® Nominated Bruce McCoy™

TopHat said...

My life has an overabundance of charm right now. I get to meet a blog buddy this next Thursday. Also, my brother is coming to visit us for his last 2 days before he leaves to be a missionary for 2 years. After that, on August 16, I'll graduate with my BS in math, and my family is all coming to see me for that. My husband and I will then be celebrating our first wedding anniversary immediately afterwards.

But after all that, the most charmed part of my life is that a couple of weeks ago, my husband and I found out that on or around March 12, we will be expecting our first baby to be born! I've already knit its first baby hat. So exciting!

Karen said...

Pee on your plate - ha ha ha ha. My non-knitting life is charmed because I have finally figured out "what I want to be when I grow up". I'm deep into my web design classes and loving every minute. My knitting life is charmed because I "inherited" the SAM kal and I'm loving every minute of that too. Gee, I'm one lucky girl. :)

Janet said...

My life, too, has been charmed. There are so many reasons, but I'll pick just one story to share:

A little less than 5 months ago, I was sitting at home, drinking wine (approximately 3/4 of a bottle, mind you, but I digress). An acquaintance sent me an IM asking what I was doing for my very last ever school Spring Break the following week. I confessed that I was being boring and going to Pittsburgh to apartment hunt. This acquaintance scoffed at my plans, and encouraged me to join he and a mutual acquaintance in Vegas instead. I don't know if it was the wine or serendipity, but I made a decision that night that completely changed my life. I booked a flight to Vegas. On that trip, the mutual acquaintance and I "hit it off" so to speak, and let's just say that not everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!

Next month, that mutual acquaintance and my now-boyfriend is moving to Pittsburgh to live with me, and I could not be more in love with him.

I often think back on that night, the 3/4 bottle of wine, and the spur of the moment decision often, and thank heavens for how lucky I am. Truly Charmed? Indeed.

Heather said...

after growing up all over the world without any family (USAF brat) i now live in my dad's hometown, with 4 generations of family. i have a fabulous husband and 6 kids. we may not have the hitech paycheck we used to have, but we have a happier life.
although i swore i would never move back to california, i am very glad we did.

Anonymous said...

Good move, your canal du Midi socks looks much better in the louet gems! Lovely winnings btw : )

My life is very charmed. Here's one example, 4-ish years ago my laptop has having monitor issues. The company that made it didn't exist any more. Asking my friends if they new someone who could fix it I found Mike. He fixed my computer and we started dating, its been a love story from there! I'm also lucky (as corny as this sounds) to have my kids. They fill my heart with love and they are a constant amusement! Never a dull moment over here : )
My best recent decision, buying the washer and dryer combo. My water bill is $10 less. And I've been doing more laundry!

James said...

My boyfriend freaking loves Merry XMas! He knows all of the words and sings it to me often. It's the little things. Tell your brother congratulations and that he has a gigantic fan in Chicago!

James said...

oh! The contest. I have lived an extremely charmed life. My Father met a fairly violent ending when I was eight. The next few years were very difficult for me as I was an extremely angry, sullen and frankly morbid child. We moved to texas shortly after his death where I met our next door neighbor, Linda. Linda (a knitter btw) taught me that it was okay to have feelings and be different from other kids. She told me that the coolest person I could be was myself, however weird that turned out to be. Linda and my mom are still very close and we see each other several times a year. My mother remarried a few years later to the man I know and love as my Dad. He has been endlessly supportive and loving over the past 12 years. My dad is a conservative methodist but he keeps pictures of his tattooed and blue haired son and son-in-law on his desk. While he may not get my art (hence the weird), he boasts loudly to everyone he knows at work and at church about how his son is going to the #1 grad program in the nation (it helps that I told him that it's the Harvard of art schools.) Also, because he loves me and knows what an awful driver I am, he is taking a week off from work to drive a uhaul from Athens to Chicago. I never would have had such an amazing family or opportunity for my education if I hadn't hit some serious life altering bumps along the way. I am truly blessed. Sorry for the seriously long comment.

Sonya said...

I love Louet Gems too and big congrats to your brother!

I live a charmed life because I live in an idyllic setting with my best friend/husband. I have hobbies and interests that keep me totally entertained and engaged. My parents are both still living and are wonderful people. It's a simple life, but I'm totally content. Oh, and I have yarn for the Kauni cardigan on the way!

Heddy said...

Charmed life, eh/ I don't know if it's charmed, but I am pretty darned happy to have found a "love at first sight" husband (never believed in it before I met him), I have a job I really enjoy, my parents, brothers, sister and ina-laws are all healthy & happy and we have beautiful nieces and nephews. I have a husband who understands that the need to "finish the heel of this sock" or knit"Just one more row" far outweighs the need to do housework -- I live a very fortunate life, and consideer myself very lucky to have the life I have.

Anonymous said...

I love that Merry Ex-Mas, especially the look on the kids' faces. Very nice touch!

Also, I agree that the pattern looks better in the louet. I applaud your courage to pull it out. (I'm still waffling, btw.)

I'm generally not super lucky, though not especially unlucky. But recently I've been dealt a couple of lucky breaks, namely selling my condo last year before the prices flat-lined and fell. If it hadn't been for our move to Holland, we'd still be living in this one bedroom flat driving each other crazy with no end in sight.

And backing up a few more years, I feel very lucky that I met my husband at all. We were both hanging out with people that we'd just met, so weren't in our usual element. He almost didn't go, and I almost brought a friend, which would have made it unlikely that I would have spent so much time with B. It's so amazing that we grew up half a would apart, and are still so compatible. It makes me think of how small the world really is when it comes down to it.

Oh and thanks for mentioning my contest. It sounds like you have a lot of good juju behind you. :)

Anonymous said...

I consider my life being very, very charmed - due to the fact that I'm able to live it exactly the way I want it. I don't have to work and thus work only on a freelancing basis, doing jobs that are way more fun and hobbies to me than work (editing manuscripts for a publishing company, doing webdesign work) - and thus I have a lot of free time on my hands. This is the ultimate freedom to me, something I've always hoped for but never dreamed of really being able to achieve it. Plus, I've found a wonderful man with whom I've been spending the last 17 years in deep love (he even helps me with all kinds of knitting problems that I'm facing!) - we've decided not to have children but to travel the world instead, and that's what we're doing. Not a lot of responsibilities, but a lot of freedom and adventure - yes, I feel extremely lucky indeed and am very, very grateful for that.

Kris said...

I'm not sure that most would consider my life charmed. My dh is in medical school and nearly died in November. The recovery has been long and stressful for our entire family.

That said, I feel so fortunate that he gets me. He is truely my compliment. I am a disorganized spaz and he is methodical. I am so lucky to have someone who can tolerate my "free spirit" and doesn't mind that our small home is over run with yarn and fabric and WIP and all of the assorted tools.

Because of the need for a creative outlet, I started a small business(www.shopbagatelle.com) and he is a huge part of its success. While I am a huge chicken when it comes to sales, he pushes me to step outside my comfort zone and to do great things.

teabird said...

My life has been charmed by so many things - even the antibiotics that were developed in time to save my life as a child, and the fact that I lived so close to medical care. I am charmed to have had the most empathetic and wise grandmother who taught me that heart is at least as important as brains. My mother taught me to knit when I was young, and that has brought comfort, pleasure, friends, and objects to give to my friends!

My best, most recent decision - knitting-wise - has been to get over my fear of knitting socks. Sometimes, the smallest things can lead you far along the path you want to take.

Beautiful socks, by the way!

Anonymous said...

Great loot - enjoy!

I always think of myself as lucky - great hubby, great life, great home and the luckiest thing would be - I have 4 perfectly beautiful, healthy, strong, loving kids. I truly lucked out there.

schrodinger said...

I have a super-charmed life. I feel I have a very happy, fulfilled life. I'm in love with a man, who loves me, who is kind and generous and wonderful. My parents are both thoughtful, generous, loving, supportive people. My in-laws are wonderful. My friends are varied and all very special. My (relatively) recent change in positions has proven to be most satisfying and challenging in a good way, giving me a chance to work with incredible people and learn so much more than I could have hoped. AND I'm fortunate enough to play with my creative side. I'll shut up now, since this is just boasting now...

~Kristie said...

I love your blog! Your writing is funny, your photos are great AND you have contests. What more can a girl want?

I'm definitely living a charmed life because (queue sappy music), I finally realized I'm married to the perfect man ... for me.

By the way ... LOVE the socks, and you can never go wrong with Louet Gems can you?

knightlyknitter.wordpress.com said...

Thank you for the contest!
My charmed life?
* loving family, interesting childhood with lots of travel
* I found the perfect career for me - fun, stimulating, challenging, intellectual, social and creative
* my husband and I make an awesome team, balancing out each others strengths and weaknesses
* my 3 beautiful children are healthy, happy, intelligent, creative and loving
* we have enough for our needs and a little over for a few wants
* life is pretty bl**dy fabulous.

Ang said...

I love your socks! Nice yarn choice, it looks much easier to knit with.

Love the carrot and peas story too!
If any knocked peas onto the floor, we'd exclaim "I've pee-ed on the floor mum!"


Gotta write this quick because the twins are home soon...talk about charmed life...school starts at the age of 2yrs here (with 4 kids under the age of seven, it's so welcome) and while the older 2 are on summer holidays now, the younger 2 get to stay in school for another 3 weeks! Bliss,but more importantly, I get to spend time just with the older 2.

and that's just the recent stuff!
After a pretty tough childhood ( alcoholic mother tyrant father and child abuse and wotnot) I struggled to get through school, through college and university.
At Uni I got over a huge art of my childhood and found myself a husband, and despite all he had been through, we pulled ourselves together, together.
Leicester was rough and we decided to get away...we were lucky to get a council house swap (people that actually wanted to live where we were living has got to be rare!)
We now have 4 beautiful children and are living in an exceptionally beautiful part of the country, surrounded in beaches and mountains and birdsong (oh to hear birdsong in the morning)
Neither of us are rich, but we enjoy our work and share our hobbies (cycling and knitting).
And to be blessed with amazing friends (offline and online)is what makes a charmed life perfect.

Michele said...

Wow you have had good luck! I have had good contest luck. I have never won a blog contest before but I won 2 recently. My life is awesome right now. I got a great husband, job, friends. Who could ask for more??

cbknits80 said...

I'm lucky right now because I've got the day off from work and I've spent the day knitting, reading and surfing blogs! Here's hoping I'm as lucky as you've been :)

Laura said...

I'm so happy you like your yarn! :)

What an awesome question ... I'll say that I am leading a charmed life because I feel I'm currently in a very positive state of flux. I'm lucky because I have awesome family, fantastic friends, and wonderful kids, and I can't wait to see what will happen next! :)

Courtney said...

I'm living a charmed life because I make my living playing music. I've been lucky in that I haven't had too many days where I've been out of work. I don't make a lot of money, but I make enough and despite my occaisional complaints, I don't really feel like I ever go to work.

knitseashore said...

I am married to a wise loving man who is also my very best friend...after 12 years we still have adventures together. Our latest was to move to a new house in the town we didn't think we could afford. It has room for all of our passions and is by the ocean, so we feel as if we're living in a dreamworld!

...Sarah said...

Your brother is brilliant. My favourite line was the bit about taking a leak in her egg nog.
On has to wonder where the creative inspiration for that piece came from?

Chris said...

I've won several blog contests in the past month. Also, although I found out I have to have surgery in October, I also have been finding out what very, very good friends and family I have as people volunteer to help me during that time.

bellamoden said...

I can't say I live a charmed life, but I am fortunate that most days are spent with yarn and cats. And that I think to myself spontaneously, "happiness is being a Rebecca". And mean it. That's enough for me.

Diane said...

I've always had a charmed life. I've never know a day without food, shelter, friends, a loving family, hobbies, and cat entertainment. Giggles have outnumbered tears 10000 to 1. And just when life couldn't get better I received grandchildren to smooch and play with.

The usual ups and downs but definately more ups than anything else. Life is good.

Just A Knit Wit said...

My life right now has been charmed in the best possible way.

After 2 years of waiting and financial issues I'm going back to school in August. My stress levels have been through the roof worrying if I'm making the wrong decision by leaving a good job to chase a dream. (A PhD in Victorian Literature so that I can be a college professor.)

While at the Renaissance Faire (of all places) I went to a psychic gallery reading (where the psychic just picks up on whatever from whomever) and halfway through the show he picked up on my major life change. Without hesitation he beamed at me and said "Yes, this is the change you are supposed to make. This is the path you are supposed to follow. The change, the move (I'm moving 5 hours away, but hadn't mentioned it to him!) it's all the right path for you now."

Aside from his mysterious encouragement, everything is falling into place so perfectly. I feel so lucky to have this chance to go back to school.

Anonymous said...

The last few months have certainly seemed charmed to me in one aspect of my life: the fiber art of spinning. What began as an innocent thought, "maybe I should try drop-spinning" quickly began a quest, and after making several of my own drop-spindles I discovered the magic of taking pretty fluff and turning it into real-live yarn.

After another few weeks I had an acquaintance practically drop a spinning wheel into my lap, loaning to me something precious, something I had thought I'd not be able to try out for years. A whole Shetland fleece of my very own followed shortly after, and with that a great friendship over email correspondence with another novice wool-washer.

As another month went by, and I was beginning to mourn the fact that the wheel would have to be returned to it's true home soon, my best friend found a spinning wheel (on freecycle!) and, despite being a spinner herself, gifted the wheel to me! Likewise, my Father-in-law has taken this wheel and is currently giving it a complete overhaul, and is excited to be given an excuse to buy a wood lathe: so he can make bobbins and spindle whorls for me! And just last week another friend offered to mail me her infrequently-used hand-carders...

I don't know what I've done to deserve this sphere of friends and family and strangers helping me, encouraging my spinning and enabling me to continue to learn this craft that a few months ago I'd never tried, but now love wholeheartedly. I cannot imagine my life without spinning now, but I would be sadder still without these people that truly charm my life!

Anonymous said...

I am charmed enough lately to have our Seattle office wanting me over for a 3 day meeting, that just happens to coincide with the Seattle Mariners Stitch and Pitch knitting night!!! I am soooooooooooooo happy!!!

Victoria said...

I recently found out that I won 3 scholarships that will pay for my last year of college...and that I won a huge scholarship to help me in my last semester and my frist year of teaching. I find it lucky because it means that I will have no loans to pay back and I can use the money as a down payment for a house....straight of school...its a good position to be in.

Donna Lee said...

I have often felt I live a charmed life. I am not lucky with money and do not often win contests (although I did win the tdf kal contest recently), I am lucky in the things that matter to me. I am married (25+ years)to my best friend and have three healthy and wonderful children who are the joy of my life. Everyday we find something to laugh at and my work as a social worker makes me feel good. However, I really wanted to tell you that i saw your sock on the tdf website and i think it looks gorgeous. What a great color!

Turtle said...

Nice contest idea!

My life did not really start out charmed...divorced parents when very young, years of abuse from numerous males before the age of 18...but then I met my husband. Though not attracted to him in a "love" essense at first we became friends, then more. He is my best friend..and seriously knows me better than i know myself! We have been married almost 16 years, not always the easiest as he was in the navy and gone alot of the time! But we have survived and civilian life is wonderful! We have a 15 year old daughter who is my joy, beautiful and smart!! I make my own work hours and work with ladies who haven't a bad bone in their bodies. My husband tries to make life comfortable, secure and to fulfill lifes wishes and fantasies. I am happy and content with family around me....i'd say that's pretty charmed!

SheepsPyjamas said...

Charmed because someone clued me in to all these contests and the loot... yikes, getting ahead of myself here, and greed is unattractive anyway, didn't I read that somewhere? ;*)

Charmed because my dear MIL fortuitously planned a ton of events to keep my kids happy during what turns out to be the busiest summer I can remember. And charmed because having said kids so busy means I appreciate having them around that much more when they are!

Senora Fuerte said...

My husband just got a new job with a film company, and we got to go to our first Industry party this weekend... Very cool! It was at the boss's house. Beautiful!!! I felt like a movie star! (We also get to see lots of free movies, and with the price of movies these days, this is a GREAT deal!)

Anonymous said...

Just this morning, on the commuter train to work, I discovered I only had 3 needles in my current sock project. Fortunatly, the ink tube in my pen was a pefect size #2. Is that charmed or what?!?

RheLynn said...

My entire life changed in January of this year -- and all for the better. After years of living a life I was unhappy in, I made some hard decisions and now have a wonderful husband and a baby girl on the way!

Rosina said...

Wow! How great to hear so many positive reflections on life :) Right now I live in a house that is going to be purchased by a school district so that they can expand their school - and the whole negotiation/moving thing has been stressful... but it really helps to look at the big picture like so many other people did in their comments.

I do consider myself blessed. I have a wonderful family and am married to the love of my life :) Also I happened to sign up and get into Ravelry right when the buzz seemed to get started ;)

WonderMike said...

Howdy Sweetpea,

Since I am not Mr. Time Mgt as of late, I will do an ordered list:
1. Your brother better win. That song is hilarious. My partner is a DJ at UCBerkeley and I'm SURE he will be playing this on his show.

2. That Louet Gems is lurvely. J'suis tres fier de toi.

3. Charmed Life? Hmmmm. I'm pretty lucky in many respects but I wouldn't say charmed. Am i being bratty? Probably.

Kenyetta said...

Lucky you! I recently won 2 contests (and hopefully a 3rd) recently as well.
My charmed life has been because I have a job I like finally, my girls are healthy, happy, and wanting for nothing, my bills are paid, and things have been going well relationship wise also.

5elementknitr said...

My inlaws moved in on Sat. I haven't cooked or cleaned dishes in four days!

carrie said...

oh my gosh, your brother's song is hysterical. congrats to him!

let's see, charmed life. The boyfriend and I just signed a two-year lease for our place. After a year living together here, I love both the apartment and the guy even more.

ikkinlala said...

It's been the kind of day today when everything seems to go wrong (nothing really serious, just some major inconveniences like the washing machine breaking down), so I'm feeling lucky to have found all these examples to remind me of how things can go right in life.

I have wonderful family and friends, the chance to go to university, and a beautiful place to live with clean water and good food. My job isn't what I want to do for the rest of my life, but it's a decent summer job and it was pretty much dropped in my lap - I never even had to apply. And I have lots of time to pursue hobbies.

Paper Tiger said...

I haven't gotten any driving tickets or crashed my car. (Trust me. It's lucky.)

Phoebe said...

First off congrats to your brother for the Emmy nomination! We are big fans of MAD TV in this house.
I actually have 2 charmed stories, one old and non-knitting and the other new and knitting.
Twelve years ago, I had GIFT (sort of like In Vitro but the mix occurs in the fallopian tubes rather than a petrie dish) surgery when the hospital that I had the surgery was in was closed for elective surgery and only did necessary surgery (and mine was considered a go because of all the hormones that I had to inject). Any how...GIFT was a success on the first try and we proudly have a son who truly is a gift.
Charmed #2...I was having all kinds of problems with Brigit for my sockapalooza pal and so I can totally relate when yarn and pattern don't quite connect. And so now the Solstice Sock is coming along perfectly! (Plus I'm also charmed that I haven't had to frog my Mystery Stole #3, knock wood).
Love those Midi socks!

Redheadskydiver said...

Well, I'm not feeling very charmed or lucky lately. I'm kind of going through a rough patch. But I am charmed overall in that I have good life, good job, good husband.

Anonymous said...

I too am knitting Nancy Bush's Canal du Midi socks with inappropriate yarn. I am probably at that stage in my knitting career where frogging so much of a tricky project is not an option, but bolstered by your example, I'm going to frog, and I'm just about 5 rounds away from starting the heel! Thanks for your bravery! Incidently, I was going to knit Canal du Midi while watching the TdF, but I quickly discovered the two were incompatible. I switched over to a simpler string market bag, but now that's done, and I need another mindless project to carry me through the last week of the TdF. I will NOT cast on for CdM until after Paris.

Nikki said...

My charmed life is knitting related. I've met so many very wonderful people I never would've had a chance to meet if I didn't take up knitting and blogging and blog reading.

I have an uncle who is very near death and the love and support I have from these people, some of whom I may never meet in person is greater than some of my other (non-knitting) friends.

Plus they're some pretty cool people!!!

Unknown said...

I feel fortunate that my family is healthy and mostly normal. Every day it seems, there is someone you hear about having some terrible health problem. And some things can get in the way of your knitting!

Sarah said...

Lately the charm in my life has to do with the fact that I'm about to marry the man of my dreams (38 days to go!) and it looks like most of our family and friends will be there to share in the big day!

KnitPastis said...

Heheee, I can totally relate to the 1974 peas and carrots! Infact, just served it yesterday to my dad and husband. I just couldn't make myself eat it. I do like them seperately though. LOL Love most vegetables and fruits!
Oh no mohair here either. I hear ya girl!

On the living front...not feeling too happy these days. Sometimes life just gets that way. I thank God for knitting to relieve the stress. Thank God for knitting. I made the decission to not put off my mammogram and had it done today. Scared to hear the results as many of us probably are. So, just for now waiting on hearing the results, since I skipped last years. Those tests hurt:) Have my father here until the end of the week, then my hubby and I are headed for a much needed vacation. Now going to stick my head in a new novel and read for a few minutes before having to take care of the guys:)

Rachel said...

I'm drooling over your woolmeisse yarn - yum!! I've been trying to refrain from ordering some myself, but I may have to break down and do it.
My life is charmed because in the last 4 months, I married the love of my life AND finished the PhD that was making my life a living hell (the hate of my life?). A good few months! Now I have the summer off to knit, I guess that's another charm for me!

Gingersnaps with Tea... said...

I laughed myself silly at your brother's song--Xmas indeed--hope he wins. As for your contest.
Well, these days, I seem to be embracing the saying "If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all." So so much for that. In fact it's gotten to the point that a good friend signed me up (and is insisting on paying) for a course that "teaches you how to draw positive energy into your life". Yeah.

Elaine said...

Charmed life, charmed life. Well I was diagnosed with breast cancer exactly 3 years ago (this is the 3rd anniversary of my last of 3 surgeries - don't ask!) So that doesn't sound so charmed, but I'm a positive person and I figure, having survived chemo, radiation and 3 years of cancer, that's pretty good. And I just had a mammo and at first the radiologist thought he saw something evil but then decided it wasn't, and I had a second reading by the best radiologist locally (according to my oncologist) and he thought it was OK, so that's good. And I love my job, and I've been married to the same man forever, and my mother is 92 and still alive and healthy, and my daughter is a junior at Brown and a great kid so that's all pretty charmed, right? And I REALLY want to win the yarn!!! Like REALLY.

peaknits said...

I think I lead a charmed life in that I have trwo healthy, beautiful daughters. Every day I feel blessed that they are healthy, even if they cannot find their "inside voices". I am happy in a crazy way - I am basically down and out on my back with a strain - because it has forced me to decide to me first before work - and now I don't want to go back - wouldn't that be a charmed life:) Since I have been in pain and getting pants on is a challenge, it's the little things I miss, not gee, wish i could sit at my desk longer!:)

Dove Knits said...

I know I'm too late for the contest, but I'm feeling all mushy so I had to respond:

I met the man I fell in love with and married at 18. We've been together since I was 19. Seriously, how often does that happen?? What is it, if not a charmed life, that by 19, I was done with all the dating nonsense and heartbreak and ended up with a really great guy? (Whether or not he was equally lucky is still up for debate ;))