hooray weekends!

This was a three-day weekend, thanks to the quirks of our scheduling system at work. I'm on a monthlong rotation of having Saturdays and Sundays off - but I had this Friday off, too. I've been busy baking cookies (chocolate chip and peanut butter chocolate chip) - about 8 dozen of them, for a work surprise down the road - under the tutelage of my kitchen supervisor who was hoping I'd drop something her way. Sorry, pup.



I made dinner tonight, too - a roast in the crockpot, green bean casserole (Cream of Mushroom with Roasted Garlic gives it some extra zing) and corn.

I finished the second Pitt mitten (Rav link) for my dad and blocked them tonight - they're sitting on the washer as the dryer dries a load of laundry, so they should be dry very quickly. I've already cast on for a pair for my brother (in scarlet and gray for Ohio State). I don't think I'll have any problem finishing them - the pattern works up really quick, and I'm going to stick to all my notes from the first pair so I won't have to come up with a new stripe pattern or anything.

Here's what's left on my Christmas knitting list: my brother's mittens, and a cowl or scarf for my co-worker. (I've abandoned the idea of making a hat for my boyfriend, as he's always warm and it's rarely cold enough to need a hat here. And, um, I've done all my shopping for him and am running out of time for knitting gifts.)

I bought two beautiful skeins of sock yarn at my new favorite Etsy shop EVER, Fearless Fibers. What can I say, there was a sale, and I was feeling a little shortchanged from my trip to Pittsburgh. I only bought sale yarn, and it's amazing yardage (550 yards) for the price. Pictures will come soon enough. But seriously, check it out for some gorgeous laceweight and sock yarn.

I've saved my big news for last - I just booked a plane ticket to be in Ohio two weeks from now, so I'll be there when my brother gets home from basic training for his Christmas break. We are keeping it a surprise to him. To say that I can't wait for this trip would be a huge understatement. The day after I booked the ticket, I got a letter from him saying he is having a tough go of it, so I'm really glad I booked the ticket. He said he's not good at shooting a gun (and is worried about having to repeat basic training because of it), he's not close with anyone in his platoon, that sort of thing. So yeah, I can't wait. I'll be there for three nights, back in Virginia for five nights, and then back up there for a visit. Whew.