The weather outside is frightful-ly weird

When I was home at lunch today, there was a thunderstorm going on outside. No kidding--the last time I checked it was January 7. I hope it stops soon--stuff is going to start flooding with all the snow left and everything if it keeps up. And it's ruining my chances of going out snowshoeing for a while. There's always--knitting to keep me entertained.

My sister's socks are coming along--here's sock #1 of the pair:



The pattern I am using is "Undulating Ribs" from Interweave Press' Favorite Socks book. Lora, if you're reading--you'll have them soon!

This is what I bought on Saturday with my gift card from Iris that Lora gave me for Christmas:



Sorry about the darkness of the photo--it's a dark day. The yarn is Noro Aurora, in color number 9. I'm going to knit a scarf to wear next year at Christmas. I have burgundy Rowan yarn for a hat.

While I was waiting at Iris for Paulette to wind the yarn she bought (Cassie was alone in the store and could not wind it for her), I took a surreptitious picture of one of the rooms in Iris:



The needles I bought will be used on this yarn that Paulette gave me for Christmas:



It's Koigu, in color number P436412. The photo does not do it any justice at all. It's a lovely mix of pastels. The beads will be used with it when knitting to make this scarf:



We took our Christmas tree down yesterday. It always feels so spacious in the house when it's down. Judging by the dryness of the tree, we will most definately be going out to look for LED Christmas lights next year ASAP after they are put out in the stores.

Here's Churchill taking his last nap behind the tree before we took it down:



He loves the tree so much. When we bring the tree stand up from the basement the night before he gets all happy because he knows what's coming.