I pursue all my passions in fits and starts, which is one reason I haven't:

1) surpassed Martha's homemaking skills

2) written the Great American Novel

3) or, indeed, ever finished a short story

4) much less had one published

5) started an alternative school

6) made a croquemboche

7) finished more than half of the knitting projects I've started

Besides being naturally scatterbrained, disorganized, and less than diligent, I've always had a hard time narrowing my interests. If I were smarter and more talented (and, I must face facts, not as lazy) I'd be a renaissance woman. Instead, I have a smattering of knowledge about many things, and a lot of rudimentary skills. Until recently, I've never been more than a beginner at much of anything. Recently, a friend referred to me, with wild inaccuracy, as her 'knitting guru'. This random bit of kindness lit a fire under me to improve my knitting skills and to take on more challenging projects. Hence, this blog. My current projects:

• A top-down pullover for my daughter in Wool of the Andes 'mulled wine'. The pattern is from Diane Soucy, and I've knitted one before for my son. This time, I added a cable down the center and plan to change the collar, hem and cuffs from a rolled edge to baby cable ribbing.

• Fingerless mitts on two needles! Nothing fancy here, but much needed since I get cold easily and my house is drafty.

• A top-down cardigan for me, in a lovely charcoal gray wool I got from my lys, A Good Yarn This is another Diane Soucy pattern. Her label is "Knitting Pure and Simple" and her patterns really are quite simple, but well done. I like patterns that involve little, if any sewing! She also includes short rows in the beginning so that the back of the neck is higher than the front. Lots of patterns don't bother, I suppose to keep it easier, but I think beginners deserve well-designed patterns as much as anybody, and if short-rows are well within my scope, they're really not very difficult at all.

These are only the projects I actually intend to finish. I have a few projects on needles or holders that will probably languish until I die. These are two sweaters and one tank top that I 'designed' myself by casting on and knitting by instinct/inspiration. I was too ambitious though, and although these would be wearable, they would look homemade rather than handmade.

Dinner tonight: Honey rubbed pork loin roast with rosemary, mashed potato cake with asiago and fontina crust, and steamed petite peas.