KNITTING WITHOUT DOG HAIR IS NOT AN OPTION

There really is... I can't believe it either. At the very beginning after Irwin passed away, I couldn't sit still for a longer while and was too scatterbrained to pick up a knitting project. What was really horrifying to me, how you mentally shut down and something as appealing to me as knitting almost turns into something appalling. When I was on my way back from Germany the day after Irwin died, I had the knitting bag on my lap on the plane for 10 hours but I just couldn't knit. It was almost like I was paralyzed.

Well, things have changed a little bit since. I am trying to get to a better place taking a day at a time. Irwin always used to say: "Do whatever you like to do. Don't worry about me. I am happy when you are happy." That's why I always went to so many groups and outings, because it made him happy, too. So, I am trying to find my new happy place thinking that it'll make him happy wherever he hangs out these days. But it's hard. I don't think there is anything that does not remind me of him or that does not have some connection with him.

I finally got all the paperwork together for the estate attorney and he is going to file the court documents now. Everything just takes so freakin' long. This week, I called the phone company for the fourth time to have the name changed on the display. It is still not right. So, when I call someone from the home phone, people get a call from Irwin (when they have caller ID). That's freaky.

I was also told this week that I will have to be back at work full-time on Monday. This came to me a bit fast and therefore as a little surprise, but oh well. I thought I could split my time some more between working from home and working at the office. There are so many things I have to take care of and I just don't feel like making all these calls from work. But someone else calls the shots on this decision and life is never going to be what you want it to be, right. So, you gotta make the best of it. The fiber dogs and I will manage; I have no doubt about that. And I'll have to see how much knitting in public I can do in the future because I truly want to spend enough time with the dogs. Plus, I have noticed that I need more Claudia-time to take care of myself and things around the house.

Speaking of the fiber dogs - they are so funny and entertaining. We just came back from a walk and now I have two panting rugs under my desk. I took a bunch of cute pictures yesterday.

Playing doggies

Sleeping doggies

And while the dogs were in bed with me, I also had dessert at 11:30pm. A couple of things I have learned to appreciate so far when you live by yourself. Nobody will tell - that's not a good thing… So, I have two dogs laying in my bed and I ate dessert in the middle of the night, HAH!

Yes, I have coasters with mosaic knitting patterns… I know I am dork…

And while Noah snuggles with me, Hermione would like to play ball and is so not happy about her two lazy roommates. Poor little girl… It is a tough life…

Also, remember, I was wondering how long I could trick Hermione with the addition of green beans to her food? Well, that little brat showed me the other night. I heard her eat for a little bit and she came trotting over to me and I was wondering what was going on. I got up to check her bowl and this is what I looked at.

All the green beans where gone and she left most of her kibbles , darnit… And then I snapped that picture of her.

Doesn't she look like she would say: "But moooommm, I ated all my veggies." That dog… So this morning I cut her green beans in tiny teeny pieces, so she would have a hard time just picking out the green beans. I'll show you, young lady!

I mentioned earlier that I am back into knitting. I knitted a baby bib - inspired by a couple of patterns.

Which brings me to the old question? Can I write up the pattern and put it on my blog and Ravelry?

Anyways, it turned out cute and I am in the process of making a second one with a few changes. Different yarn and the sheep a bit off center to make it look more centered… Sounds weird, I know.

I made tons of progress on Brett's sweater. The back is almost done.

And the lace shawl is growing as well. I added 6 repeats of the first pattern and now I am on the second pattern and I will add also more repeats to that one.

And since Jane gave that mystery ball, I had to start a project to find all the surprises in the ball while knitting with it. I am sure you can guess what I started. Yup, yet another multi-directional scarf. But they are so much fun and so easy schmeazy to knit…

And there is the first surprise - stitch markers! YAY!

And last but not least - a new pair of socks for a very special person. I was debating if I should post about the socks because they are a birthday gift for Bob, my brother-in-law, in Vermont, who reads my blog. But Bob is a big boy and I am actually going to Vermont for his birthday in September and so I decided he can watch the progress on the blog. Go, take a peak, Bob! ;-)

I am knitting a very plain pattern because the yarn itself is very busy with the different colors and stripes. It is a ribbed sock with a cable running down over the inside and the outside of the ankle.

It is so good to knit again. But I have heard that from other knitters too, that if a situation is too distressing, you kind of loose your knitting mojo for a while. But thankfully, it came back.