Anne Boleyn (my knitwear stunt-double) normally wears a long-sleeved black tshirt to model knitwear, but today…

	She’s dressed for spring. This is Soleil, a free pattern from knitty.com.
	I made this for a knit-along/class at The Knitting Nest later this month. It is knit with N.Y. Cotton, a new yarn from Stacy Charles.
	I really like it. Maybe someday Anne will actually let me wear it.
	Hmm… Moments before this photo was taken, I was sleeping in this bed with these dogs. I don’t know how. See where my pillow is? Somehow, my body fit. Dog pile on Staci!

Verypink is your only source for fast-topic-changing Fridays. I think.

It has been abundantly clear over the last several posts that I am dogsitting Gus and Lou while Chris is traveling for work, making the doggie to human ratio in this house 4-to-1. I’ve been trying to shake things up and keep the posts about things other than canines. It hasn’t been easy.

As much as I adore these dogs and love having them here with me, it’s a bit overwhelming. Most of my days are spent feeding, walking, moving beds, picking up toys, opening doors, giving medicines, playing – the list goes on. When I do get a chance to sit down, there is never any place left for me to sit.

Today I’m NOT going to try as hard to keep the doggie content down. Because that’s what’s really going on here.

	Shiny. Next…!
	There has been one bedroom of my house that I have ignored since I bought the place. I only opened the door long enough to throw something in. I decided it was time to make it a proper spare room. If you want to know why I’m wearing a face mask, you’ll have to visit my flickr page.
	After I cleared out the room, I was still feeling motivated, so I scraped the tacky popcorn texture off the ceiling. I threw the dogs’ beds on the floor, satisfied with a good day’s work.
	But I was high-on-life or something, because once the popcorn was removed, I decided to go ahead and repair the holes in the walls. Then, surprisingly, I still had energy to buy paint and slap some up.
	The next day I put two coats of paint on the ceiling. I might have overdone it…my shoulders are so sore that I’m unable to raise my arms above my head. But now the room is clean, fresh, and green!
	And so is this dog. Next…!
	Every now and then, they actually use their dog beds so that I can sit on the human furniture. Have a great weekend!

I was only in my office for FIVE MINUTES checking email, and I missed the party.

Of course, I was the only one willing to clean up when it was over. Sofa cushions everywhere. Beds upturned. If they were human, it would have been beer bottles and cigarette butts.

Good thing Gus tattled on them before it got any wilder.

Watch it.

Welcome to the second-ever, fast-topic-changing MONDAY. Can I take your coat?

	Interweave Knits is running a knitting poetry contest, and Stacy was kind enough to enter me on the sly. This is my entry. Grand prize – your poem knit into a pair of mittens. (A grand prize only a knitter would love.) Next…!
	Finished Booga Bag, knit up for a class sample. These are so fun to make, but I think I ruined my washing machine when I felted it. Uh oh. Details on The Rav. Next…!
	I need to be a “Lost” nerd for a moment. The phone call scene with Desmond and Penny was so great! Did anyone else cry and laugh and rewind it 27 times? If there is a Team Desmond, I want to join. Next…!
	Current WIP: Soleil. This is also for an upcoming class. Please note: even Master Knitters make bonehead, amateur mistakes. I was over an inch into this when I realized that the whole thing was twisted on my circular needles. Don’t tell anyone. Next…!
	This is my favorite self-portrait from last week, because I was so lucky. 1. I knew I only had one or two attempts at this before Lou got tired of me carrying him back and forth to the tripod to set the self-timer. 2. The other three dogs walked into the shot! 3. I didn’t make a totally goofy face with my tongue hanging out or anything! Have a great week!

I did this Celebrity Look-Alike thing ages ago, and I was inspired to try it again with a new photo.

Lucille Ball and Bette Davis ALWAYS show up for me.

You can give it a try here. After you sign up (it’s free), you’ll want to click on “Face Recognition”. Please leave a link so I can see yours!

Since I was busy drowning in doggie affection on Friday, today we’ll have the first-ever, fast-topic-changing Monday.

I have “custody” of all four Basenjis for the next four weeks, and I’m having a blast.

And here we go…

	It’s all dogs, all the time around here right now. The boys have picked up right where they left off, as if they never spent any time apart. I’m having so much fun with them! This is another photo from my self-portrait project. Next…!
	I’m thisclose to being finished with my second Fiona dress, this time in a larger size. I’ve added this size to the pattern, so now the dress can be made to fit sizes between 3 and 24 months. Finally. 🙂 Next…!
	Within one hour of being at my house, Gus successfully removed the stuffing from the only two dog toys that were still (surprisingly) intact. Good times. Next…!
	Aww. I knit these up for a friend to give away at a baby shower, in a trade with her. She’s as good with a sewing machine as I am with knitting needles…so I made her these, and she’s going to alter a few of my tshirts to be more flattering. This is the Baby Hat from One Skein and Super Quick Baby Socks from Blossom Knitwear. Both knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca. Next…!
	Gutters might be more important than I anticipated. Next…!
	Dontcha know? All the cool kids are flipping their beds upside-down nowadays. Have a great week!

Guess who has an extended date with four handsome men?

It’s so nice to see them together again. This is so much fun! Gotta go!

1. Please remember to keep the bathroom doors closed.
2. If you can’t find something, check the backyard.

Last night I was talking with my friend, and the conversation turned to dogs. That just happens to be one of my favorite topics.

He said that dogs don’t feel “love” the way humans do, and to assume that would be incorrect and a personification. He expected me to disagree with him – but I don’t, I agree. Love is a very complicated emotion, and dogs have tiny brains. Who knows how dogs really feel?

On the other hand, I do understand the pack mentality. I’ve read lots of books and lived in a pack for the last decade. And I can say with confidence that my dogs’ natural desire to…

	Move with me…
	Be still with me…
	Communicate…
	Show affection…
	Impress…
	Protect…
	Chill…
	and play with me…all of these things feel like love.
	It probably isn’t really “love”, but it’s a close second, and I know they give me the best their tiny brains will allow. Which makes me love them back. 🙂

…orange stars, and green clovers.

This is the first ever not-so-fast, fast-topic-changing Friday. Instead of lots of topics, I offer you lots of pink.

You might think that it’s all pink, all the time here at Verypink Headquarters…but it really isn’t. Just on Valentine’s Day.

Let’s take a look at some of the pink things from yesterday…

	Some handspun goodness of unknown origin, from a trade I made with Stacy. I kinda want to take a bite of it.
	I don’t often get excited about yarn (I’m more of a pattern junkie). But this! Three Irish Girls sock yarn, which Stacy is considering carrying it at The Knitting Nest. It’s really gorgeous.
	A gift to help ease me into local team spirit.
	My current project, and my sweet, sweet stitch markers.
	Not to mention my new pink row counter!
	Yummy Valentine’s cookies.
	And my favorite flowers – gerber daisies and pink roses. Again, this photo is part of my self-portrait-a-day-for-one-year photo project. Next…!
	And now a story. Yesterday I found Abe outside with a cereal bowl. I know how he got the bowl – I had egg salad earlier and put the bowl down on the floor for the dogs to lick clean, so that I could forgo the dishwasher and put it straight back into the cupboard. But how did Abe carry a thin, ceramic, lip-less bowl outside? How did he grip it?
	Today I conducted an experiment to see if he pushed the bowl outside, or actually carried it. I spread mayonnaise inside a bowl, and put it down for the dogs. And waited.
	Aha! He can grip it! The secret is out!
	With a loud clank, he dropped it on the tile floor close to the back door. Turns out he just wanted to get it away from Ike.
	If things are out of place in my house, it isn’t necessarily my fault. Have a great weekend!