If you're familiar with Elann, you know what it takes to earn a $50 gift certificate from them.

I have had two in my knitting career (hanging head in shame). The first one I spent on some polar-weight Stahl yarn (Landlord) that is going to be my next project (after "marinating" in-stash for 2 years).

I spent my second one today (I'd had it in my account for several months but just never saw anything that grabbed me). Today they had Emu Superwash DK on sale - in lots of pretty colors - so I bought 15 balls (1950 yards) in the Chestnut color.

I like that color, I have nothing knitted up in that color, it should look good on me (my hair color could be described as 'chestnut'). And best of all, it was free! Totally free!

I've had to limit my purchases very strictly of late because of a huge insurance bill I had this summer.

I figure 1950 yards will be enough for whatever I want to make. And I know there are sweaters I've seen in DK weight that I thought "that would be fun to make" (as I remember, the "Streak of Lightning" pullover from the IK of several issues past was made of DK weight). I think maybe the "Diamonds and Purls" in the latest "Knitters" was DK weight.

I really love having mail that I can look forward to. I miss it when I'm on a buying-diet and when it's out of the cycle for magazines.

Mail is very important to me. A "good mail day" can really cheer me up when I'm feeling down, and a "bad mail day" (when I get only the stupid newsprint flyers that go immediately to the recycling box) can be a real disappointment.
I've often thought it would be fun for there to be a little service, where they would send you some kind of little inexpensive "surprise" (like the prizes in the cereal box) every month or so (but never on the same day so you wouldn't be expecting it). I'd pay money for something like that.

No knitting content. Yesterday was "driving training" for the fifteen-passenger vans (an aside: I would have appreciated that in fall 1999 when I had never driven one before and had to figure it out all myself) and a church meeting. I'm exhausted and I'll be glad when I can sit and knit at least a few rows. I really miss it. And I want to finish that Sand sweater - because when I do, I can send the excess yarn back to Patternworks and get store credit there!