I just may finish the TARDIS after all. The grading I wanted to do today is already done (I get up early, even on weekends), I've got my copy of "Elf" in the dvd player at the ready, and I'm already almost halfway on the fourth side.

It would be nice if I could get it done to take up with me this break - since I'm only going to be at my folks' for three days (plus a half-day Wednesday if the train is close to on time), I don't need as many different clothes. So I've got what Christmas presents I've obtained (that I didn't order and have sent directly) ready to go in the suitcase. Because at Christmas, I have something like 3 weeks, and so I need more clothes (plus I need to take dressy clothes at Christmas).

I did make a little simple mouse ami the other night...picture will come later.

I used "Vanna's Choice" (yes, that Vanna) for it. And you know? I've seen a lot of people snark on this yarn on the Ravelry boards, but for amigurumi (and, I presume, for afghans that you want to be easily washable), it's not a bad yarn at all - it's a bit thicker than Red Heart, it comes in some nice colors, it's pretty widely available. I suppose one does pay for the name-connection, but I do like it better than Red Heart.

I don't know. I get tired of all the snark about certain things. Sure, fine, you don't like acrylic yarn - I don't for most clothing items for myself. But there are places where acrylic yarn is the best thing - if you're making a lap robe for someone in long-term care, where it will be thrown in washers that have one setting (volcanic hot) and won't receive the same kind of careful care. Or kid-clothes. Or, I suppose, if I wanted to knit a floormat or somesuch - leaving anything wooly on the floor for any length of time is dangerous; it tends to attract carpet beetles which then eat it. That would not happen with a knitted rug made of synthetic yarn.

It's also good for kids, because kids are notoriously hard on clothes, and it's nice to be able to just chuck that sweater in the washer when it gets dirty.

It's also great for toys, especially if the toys are being made for a child to actually carry around (rather than for an adult to sit on a sofa or a shelf and admire).

****

I went to the Wal-Mart this morning. (About the only time that shopping - other than the directed sort of "run in, grab carton of milk, find shortest checkout line, get out - is tolerable is early on the weekends).

They are reconfiguring their yarn section. They have moved in some of the Vanna's Choice, but are closing out most of the other yarns. I did buy the one remaining skein of "Softee Chunky" in grey because it can eventually become a dolphin, a manatee, or a baby seal (thanks, Minnie!). It was only 75 cents.

(I also did pick up a very bright, wild-cherry-Lip-Smacker-pink, skein of Vanna's Choice for another one of those amigurumi cats. I think Umeboshi needs either a girlfriend or a sister.)

They were playing Christmas music (already). To my surprise, they actually played, "For unto us a child is born" from the Messiah. (And not a horrible arrangement of it - just very simple, choir and orchestra). I wonder if Wal-Mart is making steps to be more explicitly "Merry Christmas" rather than "Happy Holidays" or if this was just a "this is the Bible Belt so we know no one will complain" one-off sort of thing that not every store would do.

I will say it was a surprise, and I *almost* caught myself starting to sing along in the aisle. I do not sing well but I love "The Messiah;" a couple of years when I was in high school they did a "Messiah Sing" and we all trooped into the chapel, seated by our respective singing parts, and sang most of the choruses that are commonly used in the "short" version that's done at Christmas. So I have fairly deep memories of the piece. Even if I don't sing at all well and it would probably clinch my crazy-lady status to be found singing "...And the government shall be upon his shoulder! And his name! Shall be call-ed! Wonderful! Counselor!..." in the soup aisle of the Wal-Mart.

Or maybe not. Maybe people get a pass this time of year for breaking into spontaneous expressions of joy. Because that's how that chorus makes me feel.

Though it is still a little early; I'd prefer they waited until actually AFTER Thanksgiving, but whatever. It's close enough that I'm willing to forgive it. Especially since they replaced the over-produced, vocal-acrobatics-soprano versions of "Let it Snow" and "Jingle Bell Rock" with something that actually makes me think of Christmas as something other than "buy, buy, buy."