I hate shoveling!

As in snow shoveling, of course! Winter came late here, like most of North America, but man is it here now. And for us this close to the Great Lakes, that seems to mean almost daily snow. Most days it's just a little--maybe an inch or 2 at the most--but still enough that you need to shovel, or it gets packed down in the driveway. So I have shoveled 4 times this week (2 were the especially nasty pre-sunrise shovels to get it clear before going to work). It's made worse, I think, by the fact that our driveway is made of very attractive but impractical paving stones. If they're just the littlest bit "off" (like 1 mm higher than the one they're next to), the shovel catches and doesn't work as well. Argh! And now, after shovelling when I got home today (it was sunny then, after some morning snow), it is snowing to beat the band out there, so I'm gonna have to do it again tonight or in the morning.....unless (I shouldn't even hope!) we get enough to merit a snow day. Then I could catch up on my knitting!

Speaking of which, last weekend I finished this baby cardigan:

No, it doesn't mean THAT....I've knitted it for charity, not for any wee ones around here. Actually, if I had shown something else in the picture, you'd see it was quite small--sized for a preemie. Am working on another slightly larger one now in a lovely soft purple, and may try to finish a few other things before shipping them off for some needy little ones. We're also starting a knitting club at school next week and some of the kids will be knitting for charities, too, so I may wait and bundle theirs in with mine to ship somewhere. Right now I am thinking our stuff will go to the Baby Pack Project in South Africa, unless the kids want to do something different. I'm also thinking of knitting for Afghans for Afghans. I'm hoping for 2007 to knit at least 1 item for charity a month.

I do need get on with it now, though--I have the cardi OTN, and a pair of socks for Stephen. Have to finish them both, because I have some big projects in the pipeline--I am about to order yarn to make my first adult sweater (for myself, I think!), Ivy. I also have my new yarn from Posh Sock Club to turn into some socks--haven't decided what pattern yet. And I'm thinking of getting some laceweight to try my first real shawl--maybe Cozy. Not sure when all of this is going to happen....anyone have some free time to loan me? Even with my lovely new work schedule (mornings instead of afternoons, so much better!), time seems to get away from me.

Off to knit a little tonight.....