Busy June!

Wow, it's been ages! Hello everyone!

June has been such a busy month, with lots of fun stuff happening, but i think I'll start by telling you the really bad stuff that happened. On the very same day I posted last, June 8th, I went with my sister and her cat, Medoxa, to the vet since she had stopped eating. It turned out that she had acute renal failure, and there was nothing to be done, so we went back the next day to have her put to sleep. It has been a rough couple of weeks for my sister, and we have both cried a lot (I cry as soon as I see her cry!). Medoxa was a very pretty Birma cat, who loved my sister more than anything (an pretty much disliked anyone else). Now she will be put to rest next to my little Gizmo in our parents' yard, and I'm sure he is taking care of her in Kitty Heaven.

This happened on Thursday morning. On Friday I went home to visit my parents, and hold a bachelorette party on Saturday for my best friend, Christine! Talk about the opposite end of the emotional spectra! Me and Christine's sister have been planning this for quite some time, but of course I haven't been able to tell you anything about it, as I think Christine checks in here from time to time. Anyway, we started the day by invading Christine's home, we put LOTS of make-up on her and put her in a very funny Queen of Hearts dress. She looked very funny! We then had a dancing lesson at a studio, where we got to learn striptease dancing! There was actually very little striptease, more like a sort of "sexy" dance (we all looked more funny than sexy, I think), but it was so much fun! I don't think I'll post any photos of this here though...

After this we went and had a picnic lunch, and then went to a spa for the rest of the day (and you won't get to see our bikini photos either!). We sat in the hot-tub, made facial treatments on each other and painted our nails. So relaxing, and so much fun! Finally we went out for dinner at our very favourite restaurant in the world, The Olive, and the night ended with us dancing our socks off at a local dance club. I think Christine was very happy with the whole thing.

So that was that weekend (Sunday was spent with a mild hangover in the car back to Linköping - Don't worry, Sanna drove). The week was spent working a lot, and then the next weekend Thomas was in Borås for Christine's fiancé's bahelor party. They had a bit more action, and played paintball, pinball and bathed in a lake. And I think they had a LOT more alcohol than us girls! Thomas was pretty worn when he got back to Linköping on Sunday! I spent the weekend knitting more or less furiously on the wedding stole, and completely forgot to blog!

This weekend was Midsummer's Eve, which meant that we had Friday off work. It's traditionally celebrated pretty heavily here in Sweden, with Maypoles and dancing. This is the holiday where we mostly have Pickled Herring, which is exactly what it sounds like. It's small pieces of herring pickled in vinegar with different seasonings (I like the blackcurrant or the Shrimp salad flavour, Thomas likes the snaps flavour), and we have it with new potatoes, sourcream and chives. It's sort of an aquired taste, but I really like it! This Friday we had some people over for a dinner party, and we had a really nice time. Lots of laughter and good food, and just generally lots of enjoyment. 

And yesterday I finished the wedding stole! 

I'm very pleased that it's finished in time (the wedding is on August 6th), now I'll just have to make the little purse bag to math as well! That shouldn't be a problem though, as it is quite a bit smaller. I'm planning on making this one from A Gathering of Lace, in KnitPicks Palette yarn in the Forest Heather colourway (the same colourway I used for the stole).

I also finished the first of the Jaywalker socks!

Do you remember me telling you that I thought it might turn out too big, since it uses 76 stitches? Well, I was very wrong! It's almost too small over the gusset instead! The pattern has almost no give at all, so I'm very glad that I've tried it on while I made it, so I know it will fit me. I like the wide stripes that this yarn (Hjertegarn sock, 75 % superwash wool/25 % nylon) makes, and I think the socks are a lot of fun!

I've also been working a lot on the Rusted Root top, and it's coming along nicely. I haven't gotten any photos of it yet though, as it's such a hassle to try it on as I have to divide the stitches onto two needles to fit it over my shoulders. But it seems to fit me though, and I'm almost at the waist (it's knitted top-down). I might be able to finish this one soon!

Ok, now I think you're all up to speed! I'll try to get back next weekend, and not let you wait this long again!

/ Jenny