what have we here?

ok. we all know that work is kicking me in the behind. I figure this is fair considering my slacker days a decade ago. Still, I drifted through the past 2 weeks a, ahem, kinda cranky zombie. I have hopes this was just an extreme few weeks and the future will allow the work/play ratio to return to balance. (fingers crossed.)

So, I drag meself up the front steps on Thursday headed for the mailbox. but...what is this!? a package sitting above my mailbox? Could it be?!?

It was.

I had mail.
ever so LOVELY mail.

I thought about leaving the package for a more ceremonial moment of opening. nah. dropped my bags, scratched the cats' ears quickly and reached for the knife (tape slicer.)

ta-da!


SecretPal5 goodies!

As I opened the box, I could smell it before I saw it. In a really good way. My buddy didn't know this, but I had a 'scent' issue last week. I was working on a project, and kept feeling like something was missing. Lavender, I realized. I keep a Michaels lavender air freshener in my yarn bin, and the current project had never been in there. I had to go to Michael's to stock up on them last week. So, buddy, imagine my delight that you had pre-scented my yarn and goodies! My nose has been buried in the yarn several times in the past day (hey...only cats for witnesses. ...and I'm not the only yarn sniffer out there!)

Contents of the box:
~2 balls of Elann Endless Summer Sonata sock yarn in pretty light blue (so that I can cave in to that urge to enter the sock world!)
~2 balls Wool-Ease in purple/rose/teal twist (quite soft...will be fun to use)
~A little white knitted lavender sachet (more nose burying. Tho, twas funny...at first I thought it a cat toy and Murray thought so, too. As I read the note saying it was a sachet, I snatched it back and he's pouting that it's mine now. heh)
~a twirly purple drink parasol
~incense in lavender and magnolia (buddy doesn't know of my days working in hippy gift/jewelry shop. LOVE incense!)
~lavender glycerin soap (she suggested pretty smelling hands before using nice yarn. I agree!)
~burt's bees handcream (again, my shop sold Burt's. love the brand.)
~a neat hemp/beaded friendship bracelet. I wore it to work today, just kinda knotted up. I think I'll put a beaded clasp on somehow, even tho that breaks friendship bracelet notion. Not sure I can get away with wearing it 24/7. :-) I'm pretty sure it's my new lucky bracelet, tho!
~Dagoba is a fantabulous chocolate bar that stunningly survived on my 90 degree porch without even melting a teensy bit. It's organic dark chocolate with lavender and blueberries in it. Truly divine.
~a skein winder tool. (the white thing in back on right) I'm gonna have to study this a bit more. I think it will be a really cool useful tool once I figure it out. I want to try some kool-aid dying soon, and this sounds like the way to prep for that!

Pretty fantabulous goodies, eh!? THANK YOU, SECRET PAL!!! (I enjoyed your note, too. I like the feeling of being a kid with a pen-pal! I appreciate the time/care/thought you put into my goodies.)

---
quick knitting update:
-the ribbon shawl is REALLY close to being done. (AKA the batman shawl in my knitting group.) I just have a couple ends to weave in still (Bob sweetly did the rest.) Will try to post a pic/details this week.
-The quattro bag is still chugging along. I can see finishing the body of it fairly soon. It's just getting so big that it's HOT to knit with it on my lap! I really, really hope I like this once it's felted!
-The bookmark is still in need of official finishing (starch? tassels? beads?)
-(rolls eyes embarrassed at cliche....) I started a clapotis last weekend. I have a couple balls of Wool-ease in 'strawberry twist' that I picked up at Tuesday Morning during a CEHD (Cotton-Ease Hoarding Disorder) moment, and thought I'd play with the clapotis pattern using it. Almost done with first rep of increase section. Based on a poll of my knitting group last Tuesday, I believe the entire knitting world has either finished, started, or contemplated a clapotis. (But have you tried it in Cotton Ease, Bonnie?)
~so many other projects planned, it's insane. I'm guessing the next thing on the needles is gonna be socks, tho!

Happy 4th, happy knitting, all!