Of Hemlock and Hair

. . . . the Hemlock Ring Blanket and cat hair, at least!

I've been knitting steadily away at the Hemlock blanket, and I'm on the last four rows (woo-hoo!). Home stretch! This is actually a fantastic blanket project for me, because it perfectly fits my obsessive-compulsive/overly-curious nature. Since it's knitted in the round, all the stitches are bunched on the circular needles. That translates into: I won't have any idea exactly how it will look until the last stitch is bound off.

Like I said, perfect for a knitter who hates finishing stuff and who's curiosity over rules better judgment.

I'm going to push to have it completed by tonight, as the suspense of opening it up is just killing me. An added bonus is that it is a @#$^#@*&$)#& cold day here, and I want something warm and cozy to make me feel better about living in this unnatural climate. (Really, how did a Hawaiian like me end up here? It's all Handyman's fault . . . Mum, don't agree too heartily, lol!)

(Please excuse the swearing in the last paragraph. Thankfully, due to frozen lips, it's impossible to actually understand what's truly being said. Just substitute the word "very" if that more suits your sensibilities.)

Okay, now on to cat hair, which of course means my cat, as my cat has LOTS of hair. (Why can't my daughter have that much hair?)

My cat, Rhapsody, has always been a bit of a snot for us. That is to say, she's not the friendliest feline in the field. My personal theory is that her Yankee nature hasn't adjusted to living 24/7 with this emotionally open family. (Affection of any sort is anathema to Midwesterners. A mere grunt can display a wide range of emotions, varying from utter loathing to passionate love.)

Well, since we've gotten back from our extended Christmas vacation, she's had a change of heart. Perhaps 3 weeks of loneliness convinced her that being nice was much less work than being homeless. She's a different creature altogether - friendly, and much less reserved.

I knew we had finally reached a state of well-being when I found her guarding my jewelry. Now that's a cat who truly has a sense of priorities.

This state of affairs has given me such a lift. I have hope again!

It's possible to convert a Northerner.