All together now: Awwwww!

Isn't this sweet?

This will go to an as-yet-unborn baby who is due this month. It ended up being about 20 inches in circumference, and should fit well for the holidays. It's quite tiny.

I used a couple of charts from Beth Brown-Reinsel's excellent Knitting Ganseys for the patterning at the top and sleeves. Ganseys, of course, were never cardigans, but I just felt like making one.

The yarn is Lion Brand's Microspun, the splittiest yarn ever produced, but so-so soft and very practical for the new mom. Just toss it in the washer and dryer and put it back on the child. I used size 4 needles. I think it only took three days to knit this from start to finish, including ripping out the top of one of the fronts when I was finished – finished! – because I forgot to do the V-neck decreases. I blame that little lapse on college football.

In more knitting news, the sleeves of the Seville Jacket have been reknit and are blocking. Maybe I'll get it sewn together before next spring. Heh. Sewing together is not my most favorite part of knitting. If I wanted to sew, I have a machine that does a fine job. Sewing knitting pieces to each other involves hands, and if I'm using my hands to manipulate yarn, I'd rather be knitting.

So there.

I walked two miles yesterday, and perhaps should have waited a little longer before testing the shoes. My heel was quite sore last night walking to my drawing class at the prison. Feels fine this morning, but I think I'll use the rowing machine today, just to be safe. I like the heel support in the new shoes very much.

PastaQueen said yesterday:

"Lately the blogosphere has been more like the blah-gosphere."

She's going to try some new recipes to spice up her routine. If PQ is getting the blahs, what hope is there for the rest of us? She's been at this for far longer than I have. I agree, though, and am guilty, as well. I've hit a snag with the weight loss and hurt my heel.

And then the Yankees lost to Detroit in the first round.

There's not much to cheer about here in the Middle of Nowhere. Oh, how I wish I had that first-of-the-year excitement back.

When people start noticing a significant loss, and when I can fit into smaller sizes, and when I move comfortably and don't run out of breath going up a flight of stairs and … well, you know … the energy to keep on keeping on just wanes.

So gimme a W! Gimme an I! Gimme an N! What's that spell? WIN! Let's make the last three months of this year as much fun and full of motivation as the first three months were. For me, that means back to basics. Yesterday I checked off the meals from my printed meal plan as I ate them, something I did back in January when I was starting out. I have everything I need for healthy, nutritious, satisfying meals and I have equipment to help me sweat.

Now I'll take three months of enthusiasm, please.