Finished beret, as promised. Here is a pic of our tree so you can see her a little better:
Finally, here is a pic of a stocking my guy actually requested I knit up for him. He doesn't wear sweaters, scarves or mittens so I usually don't make anything for him. He shocked me when he saw this pattern last summer and mentioned he would really like it if I made him the stocking. 
I LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR!!!
...to the movie trivia question from previous postage is "Urban Cowboy." You remember, when Bud's new cowboy-infatuated rich lil' daddy's girl girlfriend Pam goes to Bud's aunt and uncle's house for dinner?
ANYWAYS...good news from Kay yesterday. Her cancer is retreating! The proteins they measured have decreased, the thing in her lung is smaller. She's gonna kick it's ass good for the second and final time.
I also finished my beret. It's been stretched over a dinner plate for blocking, I hope it will be dry tomorrow so I can post some finished pictures. I stayed up late last night to finish it while watching really bad TV and I feel a little tired but I may still start the Holiday Craft-Tacular. This will be hard because I won't be able to talk so much about it all due to a certain snoopy sister (you know who you are).
Also got some Steelers tickets for the Browns game on the 7th. Know what else is 7? Big Ben's number!!! This is a sure sign they will win. I spent yesterday trying to forget the recent massacre in Baltimore, it was painful to watch that game but I know the Steelers will come out fighting this week.
Here is the house:
Here is the tree:
We are now Holiday-ready! We are the only house on the block with lights up yet. Our neighbor across the street has a Frosty inflatable AND a Frosty-in-a-blowing-snowglobe in addition to their year-round electric waterfall. But no lights, so in my mind we still win!!! Also, despite my cats' best efforts, the tree remains upright AND decorated. Sure, the tree skirt is a little askew and the angelfish ornament is lying on the floor beneath, but it is mostly intact. Progress!
Off to craft some holiday cheer...
...the mice want to buy some yarn. My guy is out of town and for some reason, this makes it even more compelling to go shopping. I bought myself some new shoes (and scored some compliments on them too) but have resisted the yarn shoppage. Thus far. Don't know how much longer I can hold out though.
If you can read this baby, you better get your cute self back here quick!
Oh, but let me add this on: the yarn would not be for me but for a knitted up gift for someone else. Buying it would therefore almost promote me to martyr status. This is making it even harder for someone to disuade me...
Beret news: going VERY slowly. May not be done by Thanksgiving at this rate.
WOOHOO STEELERS!!! Way to kick the assage of the saints. I knew you guys would come through!
I have not made much progress on my beret. Things keep getting in my way.
Like the Steelers game. Too exciting to keep looking way, had to pay attention to the TV.
On final complaint: last minute handmade gift requests. Happens every year right around Thanksgiving. Relatives and friends suddenly announce they want for you to make them something. Which itself is fine; just know these things take time and 5 weeks is not enough time to make things for everyone. Especially large, complicated things. The days before the holidays get really crazy for me and I usually make my deadline but it's always a struggle and there is never enough sleep. Never!
So I got that off my chest; drop hints about 6 months in advance for me, just to be safer. I may not finish your gift in time and then we will all be very sad indeed.
So the eternal struggle: finish my beret first, or sidetrack it for some holiday gift-craftage? If only I were an insomniac!!! Maybe in my next lifetime...
Honorable mention from last night:
"Your house smells SO GOOD! Like fried chicken!"
Little did he know...I was making Jay-Lo's Fried "Chicken" with the faux chicken recipe from La Dolce Vegan by Sarah Kramer. Which is a Seitan (pronounced like Satan) recipe. Had me laughing for hours!!
First Prize:
"I hate ______ (insert the area of Pittsburgh I live in)!!! It has too many stairs...but the people are nice."--hungry boy child who wants the candy but doesn't want to work for it.
Trick or treating was nuts, we ran out of candy and hid in our dark house for a bit as the little goblins ran all over the streets. Watched Night of the Living Dead (filmed here in Pittsburgh, kids). No knitting again.
Tonight: some Laguna Beach and finishing my swatch-ity-swatch for my hatty-hat-hat.
