My pal is better then your pal!

According to the news reports, just about everyone in the country is experiencing the lovely "winter storms" like we are in Washington.
Last Saturday, the boyfriend and I packed up and took refuge at his parents house (they have a generator). But before we took off, a package from my secret pal arrived, and how sweet it was!

And I know I already hinted at it in the title to this post, but my pal really, really rocks!

You are looking at a lovely stole pattern from Anne Hanson of Knitspot. I love all of her designs and have many of them on my to-do list, but as yet I have not made a single one..for shame.
The pattern is this one, absolutely beautiful.

But that's not all, she also included two massive skeins of Baruffa Cashwool in my favorite color. Each one of these babies sports over 1400 yards. That means I have enough to make the large stole, and have enough left over for another project.

And still I am not finished. =) She also sent the needles I would need to make the stole, Addi Lace ones at that.

To sum up, everything I need to make this stole my pal included in the package. How awesome is that? And it is taking every bit of my willpower to not wind up this yarn and start this project a.s.a.p. But considering I have a gazillion things in WIP mode, and I am trying to finish up as much as I start, I am trying to refrain.

Lets see how well that works, shall we?

(There was also a cute little Christmas card which I forgot to photo, and 2 large packs of Starbursts that got gobbled up. )

Thank you so much pal o' mine! I hope someone is treating you as well as you are treating me!!

Pangea Shawl

Hey look! I can still finish a project! And I remembered how to take pictures. I even did a little photo session with the bushes outside.


Amazing I tell ya!

I took the liberty of going to wikipedia and copying a bit about Pangea.

Pangaea, Pangæa or Pangea (IPA: /pænˈdʒiːə/[1], from παν, pan, meaning entire, and Γαῖα, Gaea, meaning Earth in Ancient Greek) was the supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras about 250 million years ago, before the component continents were separated into their current configuration [2].


Before blocking:




After blocking:



A close-up:

And my sad attempts at photography =) :






specs:

Pangea shawl by Sarah-Hope Parmeter

Needles: Knit Picks options size 2

Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow in Lost Lake (body) and Midnight (edging)

I tried to do a literal interpretation of the name. Doing the green for the body, to represent the super-continent. And the border in a dark blue to represent the ocean.

Sarah-Hope added another award to the KAL "Best Interpretation of Theme" and deemed me worthy. I am honored. Thanks Sarah! It's a lovely shawl and was a lot of fun to knit!

SP13 Question #1

Since we've just had Thanksgiving here in the US, I'm wondering what everyone is most thankful for this year. You don't have to be in the US or even celebrate Thanksgiving to answer. Just share with us! :-)

This is gonna get serious. =)

The thing I am most thankful for this year is my life.

I posted about this already skimming over the details, but in late August I was in a bad car accident. I was sitting on the middle bump of a pick up truck, with no seat belt on...stupid, I know..and we hit a tree going sixty miles an hour.

I was pretty messed up. I still have not been able to return to work due to my injuries. Hopefully that will change in the next week, I have my fingers crossed.

According to the Doctor's and the police, I am damn lucky to be alive. At that speed, with no seat belt, I should have gone through the wind shield.

I don't remember much at all. My first memory is waking up in the hospital having no idea what happened, and hurting like hell.

Life is a precious thing. I am so thankful that I am still here.

Other things I am thankful for that run close seconds with the above:

1) The boyfriend who was already at the hospital holding my hand by the time I gained consciousness.

2) The BF's amazing family who took me into their home and helped nurse me back to health.

3) The generous friends and customers who slipped money into my wallet, and took up a collection for me at work.

4) My wonderful sister and mother, who did everything in their power (and are still doing so) to help me get all the responsible stuff figured out.

5) I am thankful for amazing books. I read the whole Twilight series in two weeks while convalescing.

6) And finally, I am so thankful for knitting. For those few weeks when I could not knit a stitch no matter how hard I tried, I thought I was going to go crazy. It really does sooth me.