Procrastiknitting

I'm totally stalling on getting my O.W.L. project started, and since it's halfway through January, I really need to get my arse in gear. I have got to get it at least cast on tonight. Hopefully even a row or two knit. To be fair, I've been mucking around with swatches and gauge, and even trying an idea or two for a border....though I've decided to go with someone else's take on that, and save myself the work. I'll be knitting this variation of Print O' The Waves, in this yarn - Malabrigo Sock in "Persia" - the colour in the photo is reasonably true:


I got the yarn while braving the madness that was the Belated Boxing Day sale at Three Bags Full...since one of my Christmas treats from Mr.Q was a $75 gift certificate, it seemed like the place to be....but it was a zoo! There were lines outside:


To pass the time, I practiced my Kinnearing ninja skills:


(That's beentsy on the right...bonus points to anyone who can ID the anonymous blogger on the left!)

There were line-ups inside (basically every person you see was somehow in line):


There were other bloggers in the line-up outside, as seen from the line-up inside (shout out, gals, coz I don't have all your blog addies handy):


I was in line for over 90 minutes. With my knitting, of course, and good company, and lots of good knit-spotting to keep me entertained. I got myself a sexy new knitting bag:


And (a rather pricey impulse buy, but I don't regret it one bit) a fair-trade Lantern Moon basket:


Of course, I also had to get things to fill the basket and bag. Aside from the Mal, I got me some Cascade, for this bag:



And some alpaca laceweight that I'd been eyeing for about 6 months or so:


And then wrapped it all up with a leisurely pseudo-Indian/Afghani lunch with a few of the other nutters. It was a good day, and I was surprisingly restrained. Though I did have a hard time not laughing when Mr.Q asked, "So, how much of that gift certificate do you have left?"

Poor, poor dear.

Anyhoo. Not much going on, really, otherwise. Got a bit of a raise at work, which is nice. I was told it would have been more, except for that whole "economy thing." Which I buy, actually, ESL not being the most stable industry at the best of times. But I guess they didn't get the memo about "opting out of the recession."

Poor old Bagheera gets to go back to the vet next month for some work on his teeth, and we decided to have his lump removed at the same time. We got an estimate from the office today...you know it's going to be bad if they need to give you "an estimate"! Anyway, it's about what I'd figured, but still pretty ouch. Especially since we've got tuition and books for Mr.Q's first round of apprenticeship courses coming up at about the same time. Eep!

Bagheera's been a pretty low-maintenance cat, though, for most of his 13 years. So we'll suck it up. And how could we refuse such a dignified old cat?