Friendship

The route is out

Hello, hills!

I am goal-oriented

I have a couple of goals tomorrow: get a massage and relax on the couch for couple hours. I'm going to call it my winter vacation.

Update on my vacation status: Scrapped. I've got too much work to do.

Per Mary's request

The background noise at the end of the video is Gary working drill magic on Hank's pinewood derby car.

Happy Chinese New Year

It's the Year of the Ox

Happy New Year video from the 1st grade

Tales of the Riverbank

I watched Betty Lou's Magic Window almost every day when I was a kid. "Tales of the Riverbank" was a regular segment of the show. This might explain my fondness for Bubbles.

Hope is different

Walking to the bus stop this morning with Hope she commented, "Mom! Listen! When I walk, it sounds like my boots are saying, 'Fiona, Fiona.' Hear it?"

Um, no.

Over a hump

I finally made it past the section of pattern that was making me insane. I even moved it from the DPNs to the circulars and I no longer feel the urge to poke my eyes out. That can always change, of course.

This Little Site of Mine

My friend, Cathryn, doesn't know how much her blog helps me start my day right.

This Little Site of Mine

Whitney had a glass of wine and posted her thoughts on her blog.

1. I hope President Obama succeeds and I hope he does it by adopting some libertarian ideals regarding freedom.

2. I love pomp and circumstance.

3. I am afraid that people are going to pound on President Bush for a long time.

4. I am bothered that President Obama mentioned global warming in his address. I'm not sure the jury is in on that one.

5. I am coming to grips with the fact that Minnesota maybe voted Al Franken into office. May I add that I loved Stuart Smalley? I blame myself; in a last-minute decision I cast my vote for Barkley.

6. The President Obama family is a.dor.a.ble. and I hope they ADOPT a dog instead of going out and buying a designer pooch. Even more awesome-er; adopt an Iraqi mongrel.

7. In my 3rd reincarnation I might go for Secret Service Agent.

8. In a run-off vote for VP I would have had a hard time deciding between the two. One one hand Biden had/has the potential to be very entertaining. On the other hand, Sarah Palin had the potential to be very entertaining. And when it comes down to it, mother of 17 living in Alaska gets my vote. She's way more man than I or Biden will ever be.

9. I am in favor of term limits. 30+years as a senator seems like "let somebody else have a turn."

10. The GQ/Maxim-ization of President Obama is skeevy.

11. (One louder, like Spinal Tap) I hope that President Obama inspires people to be good and decent to each other.

Treacherous

After reflecting on our trip to Duluth on the snow and ice covered roads, I've decided that knitting this difficult lace shawl is pretty much the same as driving on ice-covered roads with almost-bald tires and almost no breaks. Downhill.

I'm clenching muscles that don't even belong to me.

Ratchet and his soldier reunited

Ratchet the Dog

It's very cold + car trouble

Thankful we have two cars. We can afford to have one break down. Some have none cars. That is all.

(Oops, that is not all; I think Bubbles hates me for moving him into his wire cage; Better viewing opportunities for me but he's giving me the evil eyeball. He looks kind of mad.)

Don't ask

I don't even want to TALK about that shawl.

Shawl mess

I'm not sure what's happening here. It looks pretty damn messy in there. This circular shawl knitting reminds me of the story about the wacky spider webs in space:

Shawl update

After some false starts and about three hours of knitting, I felt like I was getting the hang of the pattern and feeling confident with the slippery yarn. Then I discovered I had been knitting the chart backwards the whole time.

Girasole shawl progress = Sad

Girasole shawl
Originally uploaded by WkHanson08.

Two days, 33 stitches later.

For your viewing pleasure

Bubbles has decided that Friday night is grooming night. Have you ever seen such cuteness on the internets?

(Okay, maybe you have.)

See how much fun we have?

We could probably fit a few more dogs into the Hanson Dog Psychology Center if needed. What's that white stuff in Sophie's ears? Yogurt. It came off the floor and cabinets easier than it did her ears.

Bubbles hates me

Good news /Bad news

Good news: Hope dove off the starting blocks at the swim meet yesterday.

Bad news: She refused to wear her swim cap again.

Good news: Hank swam the 50 freestyle in 39 seconds.

Bad news: Hank has a fever and sore throat. Gary is flat on his back this morning with a stomach virus. And we're all supposed to go back to school and work tomorrow.

Good news: Bubbles is still adorable.

I'm going to hate myself in the morning

I haven't been running because it's too damn cold and the thought that my marathon running buddy is enjoying her San Fran running weather, well, I just get grumpy about how cold it is here.

I decided to do some weight-lifting while the kids were at swim practice tonight and somehow I found myself standing on the scale in the locker room. Oopsies. I'm seven pounds a little over my driver's license weight and I came home feeling a little bit down in the dumps. But if you're like me you know nothing cures a dumpy mood better than finding out you do still have ice cream in the freezer. And not just ice cream but Kemps Mint Chip. In a 1.5-gallon tub.

First knit of the New Year