Seaming and Dexter and Holy Crap, It's Five Days Away...

So last night, I knuckled down and seamed two panels of the blanket I'm working on for Mike's great-aunt last night. It took me a good part of the evening, but it's done and it doesn't look that bad. I actually felt pretty accomplished, even though I still think seaming has to be the most tedious thing on earth... now I'm finishing up panel 4 of 7, and I may even take a crack at seaming another panel tonight.

Dexter season finale - HOLY MOSES. Let's talk about it in the comments, so as not to spoil the fun for anyone who hasn't seen it yet. I can't imagine what the next season is going to entail, but I'm psyched for it.

Five days 'til Christmas Eve. I feel like I should be in panic mode, but I'm just too tired.

Errands for today:

1. Back to Best Buy, return Heroes Season 1 DVD and get either Bourne Identity, 28 Weeks Later, or Pirates of the Caribbean 3, or Grindhouse. Or something else. Maybe the special edition of 300 or The Last Legion. Also get Naked Brothers Band CD for a stocking stuffer for Will.

2. Find stocking stuffers for Will and Alex.

3. Find stickers for Alex's holiday party on Friday. I'm giving all the kids in the class stickers, now I just have to find the buggery things.

4. Inventory of what we've gotten for who and start wrapping.

Holiday Malaise

So I am ridiculously unproductive in the hours from 9-5 these days. I putter around the office, because my brain is apparently on winter hiatus.

That aside, I am a knitting psychopath. As I've mentioned, I decided in my foolish way that I can totally knit TWO blankets by Christmas. Starting at the beginning of December. So I've been knitting my panels for Mike's Great-Aunt Trudy's blanket (seven panels in total, I'm on #3 now). I'm using this pattern, which is called an Heirloom Knit Baby Blanket, but it's a beautiful blanket for anyone. I'll put up pictures soon - I'm going to start seaming (stop laughing, I really am) up some of the panels tonight so that I don't have to do all 7 at once, thereby bringing on a nervous breakdown the likes of which haven't been seen since the nuclear winter that wiped out the dinosaurs.

Seriously, I'm knitting everywhere - on the trains, in restaurants, in the car - wherever I can get the needles clacking. I'm a woman on a mission.

Of course, the craft stores are also sold out of the one freaking skein I need to finish off Mike's Great-Aunt Jeannie's blanket. So I may frog it and make her a nice wrap. We shall see. Fear not, I'm on the case.

I've got pictures to come - lots of fun stuff over the past weekend.

Some Progress Made...

I did not have to commit heinous acts last night; I ended up getting a seat, knitting podcast happily in my ears, and I knitted all the way home. How I'm going to finish a 7-panel afghan and seam it together (stop laughing; I know I'm horrible at actually seaming things up), AND finish the other afghan (no seams required, and it is 3/4 of the way done) by Christmas Eve is beyond me. But best not to think about it; I'll just knit.

I did mail Christmas cards yesterday, so that's one more thing down.

Because the kitten is still psychotic, we haven't really done much with the tree. This could be another reason for my holiday ennui, since I do love the tree decorating. I had the kids make paper snowflakes last night, and Will made an Advent wreath that I stuck in there, too. I'm trying, I'm just so wiped. I'm not even tired so much as just wiped. I just wish some spark of energy would visit me so I could get jazzed about the holidays.

Christmas Is Two Weeks Away. Holy Crap.

I have two blankets and some other things to finish in TWO WEEKS. Somehow, I think sleep may not be on the agenda from now 'til the 24th. I may have to brutalize someone on the train ride home tonight, because I need a seat - that's 40 minutes of knitting time right there.

I haven't even put all the ornaments on the tree - but that's not as much me not being prepared as we're still concerned that the dopey kitten will be in the tree if she sees a bunch of dangly things on it. We may stealthily add some more tonight. We did make a big construction paper chain garland that went on last night, so that was cute. And even Mike got in on it, which was adorable.

Pictures of the tree to come, I just want to put a little more on it...

A Holiday Meme

I haven't posted a fun meme in a while, so here you go. Let's kick off the holiday season right -and I tag Stacey, Linda, Piera, Laurie, Lauren and Peg!

1.) Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate... no question.

2.) Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps them very nicely at first, and then it becomes a mission to just get the damned things covered in paper of some sort.

3.) Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored!

4.) Do you hang mistletoe? I have never been able to find the blasted stuff, believe it or not.

5.) When do you put your decorations up? As soon after Thanksgiving as possible; we love having the place decorated as long as possible.

6.) What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? I'm a traditionalist; turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing... it's Thanksgiving part deux.

7.) Favorite Christmas memory as a child? Walking out to see all the presents, and seeing the dollhouse I wanted so badly leaning against the couch. Thanks, Santa Claus!

8.) When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I think I was a late blooomer; I was about 9.

9.) Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We celebrate Christmas Eve with Mike's family, so yes.

10.) How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I have lots of Hallmark ornaments - Star Wars and Star Trek included! Ornaments from every year of the kids' lives, and each year, I have the boys decorate ornaments to hang so I have a tree full of kid-designed stuff.

11.) Snow! Love it or Dread it? Love snow, dread the slush that follows shortly thereafter.

12.) Can you ice skate? Never tried.

13.) Do you remember your favorite gift? I'd have to say the dollhouse was pretty nifty.

14.) What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Being surrounded by family and friends. It's like the one time a year you can tell your friends how much you love them without sounding sappy.

15.) What is your favorite holiday desert? Christmas cookies!!!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Used to be going to midnight Mass at St. Bart's with Carol and having hot chocolate afterwards; now, it's Mike and I wrapping all the presents after the kids have gone to sleep, trying desperately to keep the noise to a minimum.

17.) What tops your tree? Winnie the Pooh, dressed as an angel.

18.) Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving!

19.) What is your favorite Christmas Song? No one does "Oh Night Divine" like Nat King Cole. Love "Holly Jolly Christmas" and of course, "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses and Band-Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", because I'm an '80s gal.

21.) Favorite Christmas Movie? No contest. "A Christmas Story."

22.) What do you leave for Santa? Santa really loves my Tollhouse Cookies.