Long weekends are good

And here's why. Because if you spend all day Saturday getting things done around the house, there's still a whole weekend left! (While I don't usually subscribe to the "more exclamation points is better" theory of writing, I truly believe that this statement deserves at least one such punctuation mark, and maybe two; but I'll restrain myself.) It helps a great deal that there are no soccer games on Labor Day weekend, so instead of our usual soccer-season weekend, during which we really have about a day to get anything done that isn't soccer-related, this weekend, we have three whole days. Wow. I could get lost in the pleasure of contemplation...

OK, I'm back.

Yesterday, farmer's market shopping got done, and the washing machine, dishwasher, and kids' toilet all got repaired (thank you, Rick!). I should note that the washing machine was not originally on that list, but it was apparently jealous of all the attention the other appliances were getting because yesterday morning as Rick was making his List o' Things to Buy at Lowe's, the washer started to make ominous noises and then completely gave up the ghost. Thanks to Rick's quick repair, I got load after load of laundry washed, dried, and folded. Whew! The farmer's market visit meant that last night's dinner was shrimp tacos with shredded cabbage and avocado, with a gorgeous herb and tomato salad. Mmmm.... I also got some knitting done, which was a lovely break between all the other general housework and straightening that was going on.

I'm testing out Laura's new mitt pattern, Sugar Push, which is coming out at exactly the time that it occurred to Younger Daughter that she was the only mittless person in the household. Not for long, baby.
Aren't they fun? Look at the way the lace swishes back and forth so enticingly. Laura already has some socks out in this stitch motif, which are lovely. I'm knitting the small size on very thin yarn, and they fit Younger Daughter perfectly. In fact, this is the yarn from The Knittery that I inadvertently knit Younger Daughter some socks out of earlier this year, so now she'll have a matching set. Go, me (you'd almost think I planned it, but then you'd be giving me a lot more credit than I deserve).

I'm done with the thumb gusset, so I should have this one done later today or tomorrow, and I'm guessing that the second one will go quickly, between faculty and Senate meetings this week (sigh...). Meanwhile, I'm in lace-contemplation mode. It turns out that I feel more lost than I'd thought I would, with no lace project on the needles. What does this say about me? I also have some yarn that I got for a sweater for Rick -- some soft organic cotton that I picked up on sale -- so I could start in on that while I wait for the perfect project to come up. And there's always the half-pi shawl which I have by no means forgotten, but which I'm taking my time with and using as my knit-in-the-dark, all-knit-stitch-all-the-time knitting project.

Meanwhile, we're packing up to go camping tonight, kids and dogs and all. Tilly's excited.
Kia's excited, too, I think, but it's harder to tell with her as she gets older and stiffer. We took her to the vet last week, who upped her dosage of some of the pain medication she takes, and added a new one, which she's tolerating really well, and which seems to be doing her some good. She's panting less, and looking more cheerful, so I'll take it. I'm glad she'll be able to come with us on this trip.

Meanwhile, I'm still contemplating the implications of McCain's VP choice. At the moment I don't have much to say except ??, but I'm sure I'll come up with something more verbal at some point. Also, in other news, my iPod has been unbricked, thanks to a trick that I didn't know existed, which is to push and hold down the menu and center buttons at the same time. Good as new.