Sweater Weather!!!

Ooooh, it's all stormy and sprinkly this morning. This picture doesn't even do it justice - it's actually a lot stormier out than the picture shows. Finally, a promise of sweater weather! Fall is my very most favorite time of year. I probably have more sweaters than anything else in my wardrobe, well except for shoes (52 pair at last count). Purses and jackets run a close second. I love the fall weather, bundling up, wearing layers, having a fire in the fireplace - love it all.

Last night we even had thunder and lightening, quite a surprise, as yesterday afternoon it was sunny and about 80 degrees. Something cool is blowing through. Hasn't rained much, just sprinkled, but it's enough to get me excited about a change in the weather.

Now, I love the rain... always have. My whole family loves the rain. I grew up when gas was cheap and people took Sunday drives. Now, we did that... but what my Dad really loved was rainy day drives. He'd pile us all in the Volkswagen Combi and we'd go off in the pouring rain, into the mountains, looking at rivers filling up, good stuff like that - okay, maybe not very smart, but we loved it. He'd drive through the deep puddles and gutters and we'd all yell "motorboat!" as he made huge splashes. My Dad is also big on thunder storms. I can remember as a kid - we'd all pile on the couch in front of the living room window and turn off all the lights and watch the lightening. We'd oooh and ahhh, and count to see how close it was getting. It was a big family thing. I've always loved lightening, and always been terrified by thunder. As a kid it wasn't too bad, kind a fun-scared thing... plus, we're all up past our bedtime watching lightening as a family - so it was fun to be scared. But, now that I'm older.... those big boomers really scare me. Kind of a bummer trade off, because I love the lightening.

Story - when I had just met my husband, we'd probably been dating about 9 months, and I went camping with his family. We were in Panguitch, Utah, camping in the mountains, and I found myself in the middle of the biggest thunderstorm I had ever seen. It was pouring rain and we were all in the camper - one of those small old cab-over kind you put on a pickup truck... five of us, and I have NEVER heard thunder that loud - before or since. It was reverberating off the mountains and sooooo loud, and I was scared to death, however I was still relatively new to this family and trying to impress. I remember trying to find a place to hide and cry, so they all wouldn't think I was a big baby... but there was no place to hide, and they found me crying, freaking out actually. The hubby and his Dad were very sweet, and didn't tease me... and got me through it, and still talk about it to this day - but now they tease me! I've gotten braver as I've gotten older and had kids - you can't have mom freaking out and hiding and crying... I don't want them to be afraid, too! But, the thunder still freaks me out inside. And, my hubby tells the story to the kids every time it thunders.... "When I first met your mom...."

So, back to sweater weather - last year I made my first sweater:

Of course, by the time I was finished it was all ready Spring, and I've only worn it once. It's Lambs Pride Wool, and has been too warm to wear it.... but very soon....!

However, I am determined to finish my Marilyn's Not-So-Shrunken cardigan in time to wear THIS year. Here's my progress so far

Peanut likes it. It's such a pretty color and knitting up beautifully. I love working with this yarn (Shine, from KnitPicks). Wendy's pattern is a breeze to follow, coming along very nicely, although I am a bit of a slow knitter.

See that little piece of yellow paper with Peanut and my knitting? It's a $25 voucher from my favorite not-so-local yarn store! They have a "frequent buyer program!" I'm going to put it with the gift certificate my brother gave me for my birthday and buy something beautiful to make my next project, Ella. Can't wait! So many projects..., I've got to learn to knit faster, or do less housework, or stay up later.... or, something! Got to finish these things while it's still sweater weather!