ok, yes, i’m coming up on a BIG birthday, with a zero attached to it, but come on—an AARP membership?? did they have to deliver it on my last day in this decade? hahaha, life just has the most uncanny sense of humor, doesn’t it?
i can laugh about this because i’m still too young to join, heh, but not for very long.
i’m going crazy from too much secret knitting and too many socks on the needles, but i’m determined to finish some of them off so i can move on. i mean, i like socks—i do; i love knitting them. but all socks, all the time—that’s too much of a good thing (david may beg to differ).
it’s my own fault and i know it.
actually, it’s not all socks, but there are quite a few more than usual. something tells me that my olympic project could end up being a heap of second socks . . . between what i have on the needles now and the pile of single socks sitting near my end of the sofa, i could cloth the whole family if i’d just turn them all into pairs.
so let’s take a look at some of what i’ve got here
the longjohn sock is shaping up just as i’d hoped—it looks like the sleeve or leg of a real set of longjohns. the thermal stitch will trap heat to keep feet warm and cozy without bulk, which is just the sort of sock i need.
this is an easy-going, take anywhere, don’t need a chart (don’t need a brain, practically) project. it’s the one i can drag around everywhere with me for something to do if i have to wait.
and good thing too—i have enough yarn to knit four of them. beautiful shalimar zoe that is bouncy, soft, hardwearing, and comes in myriad fun colors, both variegated and semi-solid. later tonight, i’ll cast on the red version of the sock so we can see what it looks like.
here’s a peek of one of my secret projects—not telling what it is or where the yarn is from, though. just a little taste, ok?
here’s another little glimpse of something i’m making—gorgeous color, gorgeous yarn, not a sock, but i’m not telling what, either . . . it’s almost done, too, yay.
here’s one that we can talk about and i’m really happy to be able to, because i love the way it’s turning out. this sock is knit using woolen rabbit kashmir, an incredibly lovely yarn with all good points from our friend kim. it’s got bounce, it’s got sheen, it’s got cashmere, for heaven’s sake—and as if that wasn’t enough, it’s got nylon, too, so it won’t wear out the minute you start walking around in it.
i’m trying to decide on a name for this one—at first it seemed obvious to pick a name based on how the patterns intertwine, but now that i’m down the leg and into the heel, it’s starting to remind me more of a beautiful gilded picture frame or birdcage or an antique wire cage dress form. hmmm . . . i might go with something like la cage d’or instead.
more secret knitting (see? i told you there was a lot). this one has a sibling in a different color, too, so they are double the fun. it’s knit in one of my favorite affordable yarns, so i don’t mind at all knitting it twice.
in other news, david is making great progress in demo-ing the second half of my studio space
a couple of the walls have three layers of drywall to take down and discard, plus the dropped ceiling and some plaster—many bags of debris are exiting the house this week. pretty soon he’ll be able to start rewiring (thank goodness).
i think that’s about it for today—i probably won’t be here tomorrow, because hopefully i’m taking most of the day off (and hopefully, spending it on my little rose shawl, which i’ve been denying myself), but i might post a festive photo or two if the opportunity arises.
see you on the other side of 50!
83 thoughts on “sorry, not there quite yet”
Happy Birthday! I get the AARP things too. What’s worse – so does my husband and he’s more than a decade younger than I am. It’s like guilt by association I guess.
Have a wonderful, happy day!
Enjoy the next decade!
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! Actually, I love the AARP membership (can you say discounts?!?), but managed to get mine via my dear husband< David, who is about 2 1/2 years older.
Happy upcoming 5-0!! mine is in May this year – where’s my membership? hahaha, my mom says the best thing about turning 50 was DISCOUNTS!
Have a fabulous birthday Anne, enjoy yourself tomorrow and here’s to a wonderful year!
No idea what AARP is, obviously not a UK thing.
Happy Birthday Anne.
Happy Birthday, Anne!! Isn’t it amazing how quickly those “big” birthdays approach! Still, I wouldn’t peg you for a day over 41! You are like a fine wine, aging ever so beautifully with each day that passes.
Hope you have a wonderful day off!!
The “50’s” are great! Have a wonderful birthday.
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday, Anne! I hope it’s great – thanks for bringing so much inspiration to my knitting life 🙂
A very Happy Birthday to you!! Fifty isn’t so bad – I’ve become comfortable with my decade and seem to appreciate every minute so much more.
Can’t wait to see the finished pink shawl. I’m already in love!!
Happy Birthday! Embrace being 50…a wonderful place to be!
Happy Birthday Anne!
Hi Anne,
I didn’t realize you had the same birthday as your aunt Mary. I’m not sure Hal knows either. I’ll have to ask him when he gets home. Happy Birthday and have a GREAT day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Happy Birthday, Anne! I actually got AARP stuff when I turned 30 — I think my brother was behind that! I got it again when I turned 50 a couple years ago, but haven’t joined yet. 50’s not so bad – I still feel like I’m about 30…
Hope you have a wonderful birthday!!!
Happy Birthday Anne
You’ve had a wonderful year, it would seem, a good fellow and comfortable home, many friends, family and fans. You life is rich.
As my 98 year old Mother says: “Enjoy every day of your life or change it – it all passes in a flash!”
Cracking up over here. The same thing happened to me- wth? My mom in her late 70’s kept getting ads for cemetery plots! Nice knits.
Oh Anne Happy Birthday. And welcome to the club!!
Oh, Anne, Happy Birthday! Have a good day of celebration and knitting.
Happiest of birthdays to you, Anne. (And how in the world does AARP know?)
Happy Birthday! Don’t feel bad, the checkout clerk at Kohl’s asked me if I qualified for the senior discount tonight 🙁
Happy birthday! I hope you have a wonderful day off tomorrow!
You know Anne, it’s okay to burn that dang AARP mail and not join. Really – it feels good to burn it.
I LOVE being fifty – Love it and hope you will too. The fifties have got to be the best decade, even better than the forties!
Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday!
Don’t worry–I got my first AARP mailer at 18! I hung it on my dorm room door.
Feb 3? No wonder why you’re so talented and artistic- we share the same birthday. Beautiful knits! You inspire me. I’m back to lurking mode now. Have a fabulous day.
Happy Birthday! Get that AARP card if you can – it’s worth every penny. My mom whips her’s out all the time, and I’m amazed at the discounts she gets.
Love the new sock pattern – hurry I want to knit that one! Just ordered some Bugga! that will be perfect, although I have a weakness for Woolen Rabbit Kashmir – hmmm…. decisions.
Well, Anne, we all get there – if we live so long. Join AARP! I did, and my husband got to come along for the ride. He was a member at 31 . . . youngest one? Dunno, but it did get a good laugh. Happy B-Day!
i started getting them when i turned 50 tossed them till some friends told me you get great discounts all over the place, airlines, hotels, car rentals… you should check out the benefits.. they are worth the 16.00 bucks!
Happy Birthday! Have a wonderful day!
Happy Birthday, Anne! It only gets better.
Happy Birthday Anne,
If it’s the 3rd, it must be a great day (have a niece and good friend born same date). Someone mentioned 50 was better than 40s. I agree – 40 is a downer, 50 you’re on top again, and 60,ugh 60s! Well, I’ve learned to live every day to the fullest.
Now go to your local “Cake Lady” I know about and get some of her delicious calories 😉
I got the same mailing today! At least 7 years too soon.
Happy birthday, Anne!
May all your birthday wishes come true! Happy Birthday – you have so much to show for your 50 years!
All the best on your big day! You definitely prove out my theory that 50 is the new 35! (My own five-oh is coming up in May, hence my “theory”). Enjoy your day and I hope that your beautiful Little Rose is a gift to yourself!
Have a wonderful birthday Anne!
Happy Birthday!
OMG! My friend Judy got her “invite” prior to turning 50. Another friend happened to be in her home and saw the invitation. After saying, “How old are you?”, we wound up throwing an epic party for her – in her own home. It went to 4:00 am! Fun times! I hope your Ohio friends do the same for you!
P.S. Her home had been newly renovated!
P.S.S. My hubby started getting them before he turned 40!
Wishing you a very Happy Birthday Anne! May you have a wonderful day and year ahead!
Happy Birthday!
I have to chuckle at the AARP thing. Ken and I both turned 50 this fall…me one month before Ken. He gleefully handed me the AARP notice when it came in for me…but when his came in…totally different story…haha!
I for one am happy to embrace 50. My life story has been such a roll coaster, but 50 feels good. 🙂
Enjoy and embrace the year. 🙂 Happy Birthday my friend!
Welcome to the club! I get to put a 1 behind the 5 two Saturdays from now. Hope your days is all that you wish it to be!!
Happy BirthdaY, Anne! Turning 50 is a wonderful thing to do! I have this theory: Life only begins at 40 and by 50 you are starting to get on a roll! I never had so much fun as when I was in my 50’s. Sure, the body starts reminding you that you aren’t 25 any more, but who wants to be 25 again? I sure don’t! Anyway, enjoy your 50’s…you have EARNED them. 🙂
Wishing you a truly wonderful birthday, Anne! Thank you for brightening our lives by sharing yours!
I got a AARP mailer when I graduated high school, at 17. Clearly, their system isn’t perfect. On the other hand, my mom asks for every “senior discount” available. There are perks. Happy birthday!
Wishing you a wonderful birthday! I hope you have a lovely day.
Happy Birthday, Anne.
As someone who has passed this milestone, I can tell you it is not so bad.
Here in NL, they tend to talk about 50 plussers as if were were all in our dotage, and we don’t get discounts!
All the best,
Dawn
Hi Anne, I love the “socks” – am nutty for socks, but I like everything else you do, too!!! Can’t wait to see the secret projects! Love your blog. 🙂
Happy Birthday!
I got my first offer somewhere around 45… and though I’m almost 2 years younger than my husband he didn’t get his until he hit 50. I guess it’s cause I have more grey hair than he does…?
Have a great milestone!
Happy Birthday Anne! I’ve had my own run in with AARP recently – I think they sent me the same membership packet that they sent you. I’m 37. I think maybe someone in their marketing department has birthdate dyslexia. At least that’s what I’m hoping!
I love the greeny birdcage socks. They look like tremendous fun to knit. I’ll be looking for the pattern!
Happy Special Birthday, Anne! In honour of your birthday, I am sending along a bit of Feb 3rd trivia. First, you share a birth date with a dear knitting buddy of mine (one of the 3 Canadians at the Knitters Review Retreat), who is turning “Freedom 55” today…maybe 55 is like AARP? Secondly, there is a whole Feast of St. Blaise, sore throat but also wool (and not-too-nice carding thing) connection with February 3rd that I discovered on a quest to see if there might be a patron saint of knitting/wool.
Wishing you the very best birthday celebration with all who are dear to you, and a wild and wooly year!
Sue
Happy Happy Happy Birthday! 🙂
If it makes you feel any better, I got my AARP membership package the year I turned 26. Although we will not say how long ago THAT was.
Happy Birthday, Anne. Wishing you a happy and healthy year.
Happiest of birthdays, Anne. My husband’s AARP must be in the mail as the 5-0 is weeks away. I hear the magazine is good reading!
Thanks for the taste of all that secret knitting. Looking forward to seeing what the plush burnt orange knit will be.
Happy Birthday. Wishing you yet another year filled with good food, good yarn and big belly laughs.
As they say, age is just a state of mind (but no one talks about the state of your body…). Fortunately for you, that doesn’t look to be a problem as you still retain your girlish figure…lucky you. Hope you have a wonderful birthday…AARP’s presumption notwithstanding.
Don’t feel bad. I get AARP requests and mailers all the time. And I’m 26.
Beautiful knitting as always!
Anne- It’s an attitude, isn’t it? I always say that I may be old, but I’ll never be an old bag.
And neither will you. You’re rose shawl is very intriguing.
go ahead and join. they will hound you with junk mail from now to eternity. I resisted until 55 and finally caved for travel discounts. Have a happy birthday.
happy birthday! May I just say–as a woman who is newly 50–that the restarant and movie theater discounts have been well worth the price of the AARP membership? (ours is courtesy of my husband who is CLEARLY older than I am) Love the coral-peachy secret project and looking forward to the “reveal!”
Happy birthday! Love all of the projects!
Happy Birthday! Ah, AARP membership & a turn to a new decade. Life is good! Absolutely love your new stealth projects.
<3 Happy Birthday, if it makes you feel better, AARP has been trying to get my lil bro since he turned 18. Old soul I think 🙂
Have a lovely, relaxing birthday, Anne. Your work gives us so much pleasure. Enjoy your very special day!
Enjoy your new decade! The 50s are the best. We know how to enjoy life and we make sure to take full advantage of it.
Have a happy birthday, and many, many more to come.
Happy Birthday. I have to laugh because my mom opened something about 7 years ago from AARP and was really interested in joining and she was almost of age. Then she took a closer look and realized the envelope was addressed to me her 33 year old daughter. Needless to say she found this amusing for days.
Happy birthday! Enjoy your day!
And a happy birthday to you! There is life on the other side of 50!
So many teasers today…and yummy yarns….
Happy Birthday, Anne! I’m sorry to say the AARP mailings just increase after 50. But some of those discounts might give you more $$ for yarn – ha!
Have a wonderful day “off”, full of good things! Can’t wait for the secrets to be revealed.
careful birthday girl – i start using my medicare card in just three months!
seriously, happy happy. and for your birthday give us another peek at the new triangle shawl you are working on in that luscious pale dusty pink! i want that to be my spring project.
Many more happy birthdays to you Anne! I turned 50 in December. Welcome to the club!
Happy Birthday, Anne! Enjoy your day … hopefully David is taking EXTRA special good care of you. And hopefully there’s good cake involved. Chocolate, please. Oh wait … it’s YOUR birthday, not mine.
what does AARP know! they have been sending my daughter stuff to our address since she graduated from college at age 21. while she has always been quite a mature individual, she is still not remotely AARP material.
love the kashmir sock.
My son got an AARP card when he was around 17. He keeps it as a joke and still laughs about it!
Oh I love the La Cage aux Folles socks! The latticing and intricate stitches are beautiful in that yarn and color.
Happy birthday Anne!
I suggest French Quarter for the Kashmir sock-it reminds me of ironwork.
I got an AARP several years ago when I turned 40. I still think my sister gave them my name as a joke. She’s 15 years my senior, so I figure the joke is always on her. 🙂
oh, I’ve been a member of AARP since age 46!!! and I’m proud of it!! I don’t turn 50 until 2012.. can’t wait!! going to one of the big conventions either this year or next.. woohoo!!
Many Happy Returns of the day….do something extra special for a “big” birthday, perhaps a vacation weekend away??
50 is not that bad. Really it isn’t bad at all. I always said I was going to laminate my AARP card and glue jewels to it and put a pin on the back and wear it with pride. I deserve that card for all the years just getting to 50.
Oh Anne! Do not feel bad about the AARP memebership stuff. I am 27 and have been getting those for awhile! Apparently, having good credit, owning vehicles outright and owning a business qualifies you to be a member now 😀
Best wishes for a happy birthday and a spectacular year to come!!