Away I've been, but now I'm back...

Ok, I was never really "gone"... AND I did not blog due to lack of information...just lack of time. Again, I start with good intentions. =)

Let's start out with the green stuff. This is the kind of stuff that challenges me daily. I recycle just about everything that I can and still have to challenge the hubby and kids not to through that bottle in the garbage - I end each conversation with the length of time it could sit in a landfill.

Are you tired of junk mail and unwanted catalogs? - studies show that they are responsible for 40 percent of the solid mass in our landfills. Here are some websites that will help in reducing this issue:

http://www.41pounds.org/ - this organization will remove your name from mailing lists and donate a third of the $41 fee to a charity of your choice.

http://www.greendimes.com/ - for $20, this org will keep your name off of mailing lists for at least 5 years! On top of that, they will plant up to 10 trees on your behalf.

http://www.dmachoice.org/ - just click on "remove my name from those lists" on their homepage and they will direct you on how to proceed.

***According to Experience Life magazine - you will gain 70 hours a year of your life back that you would have spent sorting and shredding junk mail - "a simple way to save time and trees."

And now in knitting news: my beautiful sister is due to have a baby boy on September 23, 2008!!! So, I'm knitting a sweater for the baby. This sweater is a Debbie Bliss pattern from her Essential Baby book - a must read/buy! http://www.debbieblissonline.com/Book.asp?bid=42

I'm using Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca DK - beautiful soft yarn and great for this project - I did have to adjust my needle size, though.

This picture was taken on the 29th of May. I was almost done with the 2nd front - if you look closely, you can see the 4 button holes - this is a double-breasted sweater with a hood. I'm still looking for a good picture of the pattern finished to post, but for now this is what I have. Anyway, I'm a bit further now - the front pieces are attached at the shoulder now and the hood has been started - only 5 or so inches to go. *sigh* Then the sleeves...seam it up...weave in my ends...add the buttons and we are ready for baby. I have a feeling I will have plenty of yarn left - hmmm...enough for a little hat???

I leave you today with a word of advice - if your fridge starts making weird sounds you should not wait too long (let's say a few months would be way too long) to call your repair service. If you wait, you could have your entire fridge and freezer go out and everything will either go bad or completely defrost - can you say emergency BBQ? I am waiting in my 4 hour timeslot right now for my repairman!

Signing off for now and I hope to come back tomorrow as a woman with a fully functioning fridge!