Where Did November Go?

I don't seem to remember much of it, but I know it must have happened, because tomorrow is December. Let me see if I can recall a few details. If not, I'll distract you with some pretty pictures, like this one of the scarlet silk I've been spinning. I'm not quite halfway done, because it's slow going. I've discovered that your hands have to be in really good shape to spin silk hankies, or this silk catches on the rough patches on your skin and doesn't spin well.

The new job is going really well, so far as I can tell. We've been running a promotion on one of our forums for most of the month that turned out to be a lot of work for me, but it's been a good experience overall. I'm starting to settle into my job and get the hang of what needs to be done and how best to respond to questions, comments, and gripes on forums. Since I'm representing the company on several fairly large public forums, I have to be casual, yet classy and grammatically correct. It can be a difficult line to walk, but I'm learning. I probably still err towards the formal rather than the casual in my public writing, but that's only when you compare my writing to what a lot of people put up on message boards.


Thanksgiving was especially lovely this year, because I spent it with family, and because it resonated with me. There are so many things I'm thankful for. I try to remember them and remind myself on a regular basis, but it's nice to have a holiday where I can really focus on being thankful for the amazing people, circumstances, and things in my life. Here's hoping I have this much to be grateful for next year. (the three spinning wheels gathered for thanksgiving. momolla, kate, and i all spun together, after dadums adjusted my wheel)





Christmas is right around the corner, and I'm starting to be excited. This weekend, Colleen and I are decorating. This year, I'm putting lights up outside the house, as well as inside. And we're hoping that perhaps the world's ugliest coffee table will be gone. If it isn't, we'll just go with last year's plan and cover it with wrapping paper. We're planning on hosting Christmas dinner up here again this year, and I'm hoping to have as good a time as last year, but with better food. My parents have already bought me a ham for Christmas, and I'm planning on doing some actual baking this year. This is one of my most favorite times of the year, and I'm hoping to make a little magic for my loved ones. This is the handspun I'm most proud of, because it's turned out to be beautiful. I look at it and feel smug, which is probably wrong for a lot of reasons, but the yarn is smooth and the colors are gorgeous and my friend Laura will love this (i won't tell her it will break my hear to part with it).


And hopefully this scarf will make somebody happy come Christmas. It's the first handspun scarf I mentioned forever ago, and I've finally gotten a picture of it. From a distance, it's striped. But if you get right up close and look at it, you can see all the layers of color that it's made up of. It's soft and colorful and drapey and hopefully will be well-loved.

In review:
--November? Where? I haven't seen November! We must have skipped right over it!
--Time flies when you're working overtime and battling a series of minor colds
--Knitting is nice, but finishing things now and again is even nicer
--Things I am thankful for, the short version: health, loved ones, chocolate, books
--The camera that died in August couldn't be fixed, so Jim goaded me into upgrading, and this one is wonderful... So far...