Done! (Maybe)

I finished the socks for my second Sockapalooza pal a couple of days ago. I wove in the ends and stuck them in some wool wash for a bath. When I pulled them out, I started to panic because they seemed a LOT SMALLER than they were when they went in. I've been afraid that they were too small all along, but now they definitely were.

However, now that they've dried completely, they look to be not as small as I feared. The fabric doesn't feel as dense and unflexible as it was when they were wet. They're knit out of a bamboo-wool blend that I've never used before, so maybe the yarn swells a lot when it takes up water, but shrinks down again as it dries? I don't know.

I've started a new pair for my pal just in case (made from Koigu--something I'm familiar with that won't play tricks on me!). I think I'll send her the pair I've completed, and then if they don't fit, I'll send her the second pair.

Holiday Knits, or You Can't Judge a Book by It's Cover

Some of the Holiday Stamps that the USPS is putting out this year are titled "Holiday Knits". They're pretty, but not quite what I was expecting when I read the name.

I was thinking that there were going to be some pretty stranded-knitting mittens and scarves and hats and stockings. I still think that I'll buy a booklet for my Christmas cards, but I'm not quite as exuberant about them as I was before I realized what they look like.

Speaking of knitting, I've got a bad case of Startitis. I'm just about done turning the heel on the second Sockapalooza sock; I'm just over half-way done with the cabling on the Tangled Yoke Cardigan; and now I've started a scarf for my roommate and a pair of socks for me. I've got good excuses: the scarf for my roommate features GLOW IN THE DARK YARN (I couldn't hold off any longer) and I needed some plain stockinette to knit while I do homework.

And my fingers are itching to start more.

Doing Homework

I have a response paper due on Monday, which means that I've been reading, and that means I've been working on my Tangled Yoke cardigan!

I've got a couple more rows to go, and then I'll start doing the decreases and cables section. Because I can't read and knit cables at the same time, this won't be my homework project anymore. I think I'll have to start a plain pair of socks. I'd like another sweater, but I don't have a sweater's worth of yarn in my stash or the money set aside to buy that much. But I think I have enough sock yarn for five or six pairs.

Speaking of socks, I'm probably 2/3 done with the first sock for my Sockapalooza pal. I'm a little concerned that they'll be too small when putting them on over the heel--my pal has feet just a little bigger than mine, and it's a mite snug when I try them on....I guess we'll see what happens.

Zipping along

(This isn't the right color, either. This is a little too much red.)

I'm zipping right along on the VogOn socks for my sockapalooza pal. I'm still quite enamoured with this yarn and pattern. These socks are knitting up so quickly. I've turned the heel and am working on the heel flap. I think what I'm doing is the Eye of Partridge heel, but I haven't done enough rows to be able to really see the pattern yet.

I got a package in the mail this week from KnitPicks with my first-ever set of KnitPicks needles. I've been wanting to try these ever since they came out, but I haven't done it until now. I've only tried the 16-inch 2.25mm needles so far, and I like them a lot. They are sharp, but the points don't hurt my fingers as much as the AddiTurbo Lace Needles I have. I've never knit with 16-inch needles before, though, and it's taking me some time to get used to the shorter length of the needles themselves. I think I will be asking my family for the Nickel-plated Options set for my birthday or Christmas this year.

No clever title today.

I was THISCLOSE to getting a new car this week. The insurance appraiser that came out to look at my car told me that if there had been any more damage to it, they would have just written it off as totaled and given me the value to put toward a new car. That was such a strange statement to me. The word "totaled" brings to mind a car damaged and mangled beyond repair. Mine still works fine, it's just that the left blinker is smashed out and the hood and bumper are dented quite a bit. The issue is that I drive a car that's 12 years old and has nearly 265k miles on it (you gotta love them Toyotas!), so the cost of repairs is coming awfully close to the value of the car. As much as a new car would be nice, I'm glad that I can keep this one--it's all paid for! Not that they would have given me much toward a new car anyway.

On the knitting front, I finished the socks for my brother last night. I think they look pretty good, if I do say so myself!

I immediately cast on for my Sockapalooza socks, but I wasn't really happy with how it was looking. On my lunch hour, I ran over to Magpie Yarn (which isn't too far from where I work) and browsed their sock yarn selection. I decided to try some of Crystal Palace Yarn's Panda Wool, which is a blend of bamboo, wool, and nylon. So far, I LOVE IT! Normally, I go for yarn that is more "squishy" like Koigu or Cherry Tree Hill, but I'm pleased with this yarn. It feels nice when I knit with it, and the resulting fabric is soft--much more so than you'd imagine just feeling it in a ball. It's knitting up nicely in the Vog On lace pattern and the colors are beautiful, although not as loud as they look in the photo below. The colorway is called "Red Cinnamon" and it's got red and orange and brown and magenta in it. It reminds me a lot of the colors of the leaves in fall. I might have to go back and snag a couple of balls for myself.

(Sorry about the crummy indoor lighting--I'm too lazy to photograph them when there's actually DAYLIGHT!)

One thing to know about this yarn, however: gauge is going to be misleading. You might be spot on for your gauge swatch, but go down a size or two anyway because the resulting fabric is really stretchy.

Where does the time go?

I can't believe that it's been three weeks since I posted last. I've been craZy busy (as my brother used to say--with the Z just like that). I've had an insane week. I found out last Monday that I had an ear infection, so they stuck me with a needle and put me on antibiotics. On Thursday night, I was involved in a car accident. No one was hurt, but my car is a little banged up. Luckily, the other person's insurance company is going to pay for the repair on my car.

I've been knitting quite a bit. I started and finished a hat for my friend Kyle this month. He'd asked for a hat to keep his "little head warm when it gets cold outside." The only directions he gave me was that it be in black. I ended up doing a hat based on the Marsan Watchcap, without a brim, and with more stitches than the pattern called for because I was knitting at a tighter gauge. It was a fast knit, worsted-weight yarn on 4mm (US6) needles (the original pattern called for 4.5 mm/US7 needles but I didn't have any).

I learned a lot from this hat. First of all, the pattern is made up of a twisted-stitch rib (K1 through back loop, P1) and the K1P1 was the catalyst I needed to get me to learn how to knit continental-style. Secondly, I learned a lot more about how a stitch is constructed when I took a pair of scissors to the bottom of the hat. Kyle told me--after I'd already knit nearly the entire hat--that he didn't really care for hats with folded-up brims. Rather than rip back 5 inches of knitting, I opted for surgery a la Grumperina. It's not professional-looking, by any means, but I don't think he'll notice.

I've also been working on my brother's socks. I've finished one sock up and am about two-thirds of the way done with the cuff. I haven't woven in any ends on either sock yet, but I'm hoping to have them done by the end of next week. I was planning on finishing them this month, but I took a few days off to do Kyle's hat.

I'm also on the hunt for a nice lacy sock pattern. I've signed up to be a Sockapalooza 4 Sock Savior, and the person I'm knitting for says she prefers thinner socks, so something lacy should do. They're going to be in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solids, in the Cherry colorway--a nice bright, lovely RED. I'm thinking about doing the 'Vog On pattern, just longer than anklets.

Score!

I had a customer come in to work the other day who was wearing a shirt that had a logo for a welding supply company embroidered on it. I asked him if that's where he worked, and if they sold fine-gauge stainless steel tig rods. He just gaped at me, and then stammered that they did. I said, "Oh, fabulous! I've been looking for some. I need them for a project at home--but they need to be rods without flux--that's no good for me." He just stared at me. So did the banker I was working with. I love doing things like that--pulling something completely out of the blue that knocks people speechless. The man I was waiting on was just so flabbergasted that a 20-something GIRL who works at a bank had even heard of welding, let alone that there were such things as 1/16th inch stainless steel tig rods that he didn't know what to say.

So today, I was waiting on another customer, when this man walks into the bank and hands a bunch of wires to one of my coworkers and indicates they are for me. Hooray! I have blocking wires now! I guess that means that I ought to get back to work on some of the lace projects that are sitting abandoned in my WIP basket.

So the moral of the story is: Doing your research and remembering random facts (like that 1/16th inch stainless steel tig welding rods could make good blocking wires) can get you free stuff!

Attention family members--I have no idea if any of you ever read my blog, but if you do, you can stop right here because you're not allowed to see what else is happening here. Go back and comment on previous posts, that's fine, but read no farther at peril of spoiling your own possible presents!

I've thrown myself into gift knitting this week with a passion. I've been working on some socks for my missionary brother in Hungary. I've turned the heel on the first sock.

I've also started spinning up some fiber that my mom gave me this spring. It was the winter coat her horse shed this spring, and she wanted to know if it could be spun. I thought it would be really difficult to spin, but it hasn't been as difficult as I expected. The horse died unexpectedly a few weeks ago, and I thought she might like to have a bag or something made to remember it by.

Normally, I'd say I'm kind of a natural-fiber snob but I was up exploring a new yarn and fiber store in Georgetown KY on Saturday, and I found some yarn I couldn't resist. This quite unnatural--it GLOWS IN THE DARK!! I also picked up some charcoal gray wool and I thought I'd make my roommate a scarf with a snowflake fair-isle border or something.

So, I have about three months until Christmas. Can I make a sock and a half, an entire scarf, and spin and knit something else from horse hair by the deadline? We shall see!

Rushing before Reality Hits

I've been on vacation all week. I didn't go anywhere except to class and to the dentist. I did get some things done around my home, like cleaning and laundry and so forth. Mostly I just knit like mad!



I worked almost exclusively on the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I've finished up through where the sleeves are joined to the body, finished one sleeve and am about halfway done with the other. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work tomorrow and pretty soon I'll have homework, so the knitting time will probably be dropping back to almost nothing.

So, I've got to run and squeeze a few more rows in before bedtime.

Christmas is coming

I've decided to make my "baby" brother (he's twenty today!!!) a pair of socks for Christmas. He is serving as a missionary in Hungary right now, so I think I'll need to send them out sometime around the first or second week of November. That means I'd better get started!

I think I'm going to base the socks on Thuja, meaning that I'm going to use the K3, P1, knit every other round pattern. I'm doing them toe-up (I LOVE Judy's Magic Cast On--I don't even have to look it up anymore!) and I think I might try a new heel of some kind or other. I don't want to do a short-row heel. I'd like to try the Eye of Partridge heel that I've seen around, but I'm not sure that you can do it with a toe-up sock. I'll look a little more into that when I get to that point.

I'm still working on the Tangled Yoke Cardigan. It hasn't seen as much attention lately, as I've been researching sock patterns for my brother. I have about 25 more rows before I break the yarn and start working on the sleeves.

No pictures today of TYC--I haven't taken any since I finished up the garter-ribbing portion.

I can't stop!

I'm reading a book called "Majoor Frans." It was written by a Dutch woman named A.L.G. Bosboom-Toussaint in the late 1800's. It's about a very poor young nobleman who is suddenly informed that the will of a distant relative has named him sole heir to her estate--on the condition that he marry one of her nieces. However, the girl (Francis) is said to be rude and rough. She's been raised by her grandfather, a General, allowed do do whatever she wanted, and her wild ways have earned her the nickname "Major Frank." She hates men in general and has sworn never to marry. But when he meets her, he finds out the real story of her life, falls in love with her, and is sincerely trying to win her love. It's kind of a combination of "The Taming of the Shrew" and "Wuthering Heights" or "Jane Eyre" (can you imagine that combination?!?) It's *REALLY GOOD* and I highly recommend it. I can't put the book down. And that makes for lots of knitting time.

I'm getting much better at knitting and reading at the same time. Especially now that I'm working on the plain stockinette part of the Tangled Yoke Cardigan I've been making. I really like the pattern so far. It's fairly simple--all one piece to which I'll add sleeves later and then work the yoke. I love the "no seaming" idea! I've never done a round-yoke sweater before. I like how the Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool is knitting up. It is soft and drapes nicely. I think I'm really going to like the finished sweater. I'm probably two or three inches farther along than this picture shows.



School starts this coming Monday. I had to make a last-minute change to my schedule but I think I've got everything in order now. I'd better learn some self-discipline soon--either that or finish Majoor Frans before homework sets in!

Big Thanks!

Look what came in the mail for me on Friday! A Sockapalooza 4 package that included a fantastic pair of socks, a beautiful card, and a mini-sock blocker with instructions on how to make socks to fit it.

They came from Debra. Thank you so much! The socks fit perfectly and are very comfortable and I've worn them around the house all weekend. I immediately put the blocker key chain on my purse and it's fabulous. Maybe this next week I'll make a sock for it.

The color in the photo above isn't really accurate. The socks have a lot more red in the purple than you can see here.

Thanks again, Debra! I love my new socks!

Secret Pal 11 Questionnaire Answers

Sorry that this is late!

1. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with? What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?
I prefer mostly natural fibers, although acryllic does have its place. It's not a big place in my life, but my first three sweaters (I'm on my 5th) were acryllic. I still wear one of them.

2. What do you use to store your needles/hooks in? Nothing really, at the moment. I made a roll to hold my DPN's and I think they're actually in there right now. The circs are hanging off my lamp because I haven't found a nice way to store them yet.

3. How long have you been knitting & how did you learn? Would you consider your skill level to be beginner, intermediate or advanced? I've been knitting for about 17 years or so (gosh, that sounds SO LONG!) I didn't do much with it for a long time, and have only been serious about it for the past two or three years. I think I would say I'm an advanced knitter. There are a lot of things that I haven't tried yet and a lot of things I don't really know how to do, but I'm not afraid to try.

4. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list? I do, right here.

5. What's your favorite scent? I like the smell of cinnamon and other spices, as well as Citrusy smells.

6. Do you have a sweet tooth? Favorite candy? Heavens yes! My favorite candy is Reese's Peanut Butter cups .

7. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do? Do you spin? I'm a spinner--I bought my wheel in February. I used to cross stitch a long time ago, but I haven't done that for years. Not since I started knitting again.

8. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD) My computer does play MP3's. I LOVE world music in different languages, whether I understand them or not. I also listen to a lot of classical and instrumental music, and I love Disney cartoon soundtracks.

9. What's your favorite color(s)? Any colors you just can't stand? I think my favorite colors are darker reds like wine and burgundy. I like any flavor of purple. I like chocolate brown and pink and chocolate brown and light blue. I'm not really a big fan of olive greens and yellows, although I like the brighter colors. Now, having said that, I'm in the middle of knitting a cardigan in an olive green color. I think it will be pretty and I'll like the end result, but I'd like the process a whole lot more if the yarn were a pretty heathery purple!

10. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets? I have one roommate and 2 cats.


11. Do you wear scarves, hats, mittens or ponchos? Yes to scarves, hats, mittens, but not ponchos.

12. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit? I've always got a sock in my purse. It comes in handy when there are odd moments with nothing to do but wait for someone or something somewhere. I've done lots of things, sweaters, bags, slippers, lace, hats.

13. What are you knitting right now? A purse-sock, as always. Twisted Yoke Cardigan from Interweave Fall 2007, Mystery Stole 3, and I've got Scheherezade hibernating somewhere.

14. Do you like to receive handmade gifts? Yes, please.

15. Do you prefer straight or circular needles? Bamboo, aluminum, plastic? I prefer circs for most things, and I like the metal needles. I'd like to get the KnitPicks needles, but I haven't had the money for it yet (espeically since I already own needles in most of the sizes I ues)

16. Do you own a yarn winder and/or swift? Yes to both.

17. How old is your oldest UFO? I think I've frogged most of the things that I haven't liked, so my oldest UFO is probably the Scheherezade Stole.

18. What is your favorite holiday? Probably the Winter holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's)

19. Is there anything that you collect? Stationary and stickers and pens. Yarn, too, of course.

20. Any books, yarns, needles or patterns out there you are dying to get your hands on? What knitting magazine subscriptions do you have? I think the books I want are all in my Amazon wish list. Someday I'm going to bite the bullet and actually subscribe to InterweaveKnits.

21. Are there any new techniques you'd like to learn? I can't think of any at the moment. I'd like to learn more about the hows and whys of some techniques, like figuring out once and for all which way ssk and k2tog go. I always have to look it up!

22. Are you a sock knitter? What are your foot measurements? I'm definitely a sock knitter. I wear a US 7 shoe; my foot is 9 inches long and 9 inches around at the ball.

23. When is your birthday? December 3

24. Are you on Ravelry? If so, what's your ID? Yes, you can find me as Prinsessje. (That's Dutch for "Little Princess"

I didn't think I'd do it...

But I want to make Monkey socks. Everyone's been raving about them for months. Acutally, that fervor has died down somewhat--I'm a little slow on the uptake sometimes. I thought they looked nice, but it wasn't really calling my name. Maybe it was the colors in the original pattern--the yellows and greens and oranges aren't exactly my color, they kind of remind me of jars of baby food (no offense intended to those who like yellows and greens and oranges--I like them too, just not all together). But then my secret pal spoilee, Emily, showed a photograph of some RED ones that she made from her own handspun (gasp!) and well, you know what they say about rest and history. I want to get back to my wheel and spin!


But not yet. I'm busy working on the Mystery Stole 3. As of tonight, I've completed through row 190 (10 rows left of Clue 3). Clue 4 will be posted on Friday, and I'll have 2 weeks to work on it. I can't believe that I'm actually keeping up with this project. I don't consider myself a fast knitter at all.


I've also been working on Scheherezade and some stripey cotton socks from yarn my secret pal sent me. I decided this week that I'd send them to someone rather than keep them for myself. But they're coming along rather nicely. They're just plain and simple, perfect for stuffing into my purse to take to work for lunchtime knitting.

This is the first sock, which has long since been completed. I have about an inch and a half done one the second one, but no current photos.

Must. Buy. Blocking Wires.

So I thought I'd save myself some money (and avoid the wait of ordering by mail--I'm impatient) by making my own blocking wires. I went to Lowe's and Home Depot and couldn't find any of the welding wire I'd seen recommended. So I bought the thinnest wooden dowels I could find and some sandpaper and went to work.

I used a pencil sharpener to make some pointy tips and sanded down the entire length of the dowel. They're still a little too rough (I told you I am impatient!) and not thin enough, I don't think. I guess I'll break down and pick some up from eBay or KnitPicks. They're the same brand, but the ones on eBay are a little cheaper (the price of the wires+shipping is the same price that KnitPicks offers for the wires alone).

Mystery knitting

I started knitting on the Mystery Stole 3 yesterday. So far, it's gone pretty smoothly, except I think that the beading might be a little TOO subtle. (You couldn't even tell the beads were there, could you!) The first two were a little bit challenging to put on, but once I figured out how to hold both needles and the crochet hook while putting the bead on, it went smoothly. I bought some other beads that were clear except for the hole was lined in silver. I think they'd pop out just a bit more, but I don't know if that would really look good with this color wool. It's kind of light brownish--well, an oatmeal color (imagine that!)--and I'm not sure how it looks with the silver of the bead. I don't know if the beads will stand out better once it's blocked or not. I think I might put it on a holder and start again from the other end with the other beads and see which I like better.

I really like this yarn--it's very soft. It's Lane Borgoseia Cashwool in the Oatmeal Colorway that I bought from The Loopy Ewe several weeks ago.

Nothing productive accomplished today

Because I'm IN!

I got an invitation to Ravelry today!!! What fun! I've wasted a whole lot of time playing around and entering in the patterns I'm working on, what I want to do, looking at others' postings about the projects I'm doing or the ones in my queue. I haven't even started to think about uploading information on my stash or my needles yet. I don't have that much stash, I don't think. One tote-full under my bed. And I don't have many needles, either. But this will probably take me quite a while to figure out.

I finished the first chart on the second half of Scheherezade today. I haven't worked on it for a while, but I decided to pull it out today and see what I could get done. I think it will probably go back into the tote on Friday, when the first clue for Mystery Stole 3 comes out. But we'll see. Maybe I'll just keep Scheherezade around and remain constantly one year behind.

Time to knit.

I had LOTS and LOTS of knitting time this past week. I had a lot of reading for a class to do by Saturday (which sadly didn't get done on time) but I can do simple straight stockinette while reading. I'm looking forward to school starting this fall if reading time = knitting time!

My car was in the shop on Wednesday and Thursday, so I rode the bus to and from work. Waiting for the bus to come and sitting on the bus = knitting time!

I had a wedding/family reunion this weekend in Nauvoo, Illinois. It's a little town now, about 1100 residents, but back in its heyday in the 1840's it rivaled Chicago in population. There's some houses and other buildings that have been restored and preserved and there are wagon rides and other things to see. It was fun. The first place I went to was the Family Living center, where they demonstrate things like how they made candles and bread and rope and barrels and so forth. There are also demonstrations of weaving and rag rugs and so forth. I've been there before and I remembered the looms and the rope-making, but I didn't remember seeing any spinning wheels. So this time, I went looking for them. They had them there, with signs all over saying "Do Not Touch" It was so hard to keep my hands off as I tried to explain what the things were to my family and how they worked. The guide that came over to see if we had any questions acted really impressed that I knew so much about how it worked.

So, anyway, there was lots of time standing in lines and waiting for rides and waiting for my family to figure out what we were going to do next. Standing in line = knitting time!

By the way, if you EVER EVER in your life get a chance to see the Brigham Young University Ballroom Dance Company perform, you should take it without a second thought. We went to a show on Friday night and it was FABULOUS. Energetic, fun, and very entertaining. There was a song about a scientist that looked like Einstein that created the perfect Dance Partner and the "robot" costumes were awesome. Hot pink suits with a row of fringes every few inches. You'd NEVER catch anyone wearing it anywhere else, but it was perfect as the dancers Cha-cha'd across the stage. There was another dance where they turned off all the stage lights except for some black lights and did dances with giant sticks and part of their costumes were black and other parts were wild colors that showed up in the black light. The show was incredible. Needless to say, I was NOT knitting at that time. :)

With all that knitting, I'm just about done with a sock. This sock may just well become a knee sock. I've started to add some increases in the back of the sock for calf shaping. I've never done this before, and I'm not sure I'm adding increases at the right rate, but we'll see.

Look! Look! I'm finished!! Say it with me--woo-hoo!!!



I don't know exactly what I'm going to start on next. I've joined up with Mystery Stole 3 and received my yarn on Wednesday or Thursday--one skein of oatmeal-colored Lane Borgosesia merino laceweight. It was my first order ever from The Loopy Ewe. (My parents are talking about moving to St Louis--if they do, I'll definitely have to arrange to visit the Loopy place!) I have no idea what size needles to use for this yarn. I think I want to try some of those KnitPicks needles or the Addi Turbo Lace needles--something with a sharper point. Just starting to do a swatch on that fine yarn was kind of difficult.

I think I'll also start another sock. I've got several colors to choose from: some Brown and Pink Koigu my first Secret Pal gave me, some red Cherry Tree Hill I purchased a few months ago, or some cotton that my current Secret Pal sent me. I think I'm going to just do a plain sock because I want to train myself how to knit and read things at the same time. I'm starting school again in the fall, and I can't give up my fiber!

Halfway

I finished the first Sockapalooza 4 Sock today. I'm a little nervous about it. I'm afraid that it won't be able to stretch wide enough. The first draft was too wide, so I ripped it back. People kept asking if it were a baby hat, and I realized that I hadn't built any negative ease into the sock. I'm not sure what my pal will like, but I personally prefer my socks to be kind of tight on the foot. But I'm worried that these are too tight in the ankle. I need to find someone who has the same size foot to give it a try.

(yes, I'm well aware that my legs are blindingly white. That's just the flavor I come in--plain vanilla!)

I LOVE the bind off. It's SO easy and REALLY stretchy. It's P2 tog, make the stitch you just created on the right needle very loose (or just use a needle a couple of sizes bigger than what you've been using), slip it back to the left needle, and repeat. Easy-peasy!

Checking In

I've been busy working on my Sockapalooza 4 Socks. I've turned the heel on the first sock and I only have 15 grams of yarn left. I wasn't sure how much yarn the sock was going to need, so I bought three skeins. I guess I should knit a repeat and weigh the yarn a la Grumperina and get an idea of how long these socks will be if I make them only from one skein apiece.

I've been sewing.

My little sister made me a bag to carry my socks-in-progress around in my purse, but it was slightly too small. So I found a pattern on the internet and whipped this little bag up. I really like it. Especially because it's red, which seems to be my color of choice this year. Does anyone else go through phases where they buy everything in one color? A few years ago, it was light pink. This year, it's red. Dark burgundy-red.

I also made myself a pretty bag for my books for church. The messenger-style means it's also come in handy last week when I was a really good girl and rode my bike to work EVERY DAY. I still want that Biria bike, but I can't justify the cost right now.
My little brother got married this past weekend. Hooray for him! But you know, it's really really weird to think that my little brother is all grown up and MARRIED. Does that mean I'm a grown-up too? Here he is with his bride and my grandpa. Don't they all look cute?